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Promising New Drug Treats Some Lung Cancer

BOSTON (CBS) - Local research finds a promising drug to treat certain lung cancers.

In Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Eunice Kwak, at Mass General Hospital, reports daily doses of this targeted treatment were found to stop or reverse the growth of tumors, driven by changes in the in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene found in some patients.

Dr. Kwak talks about the treatment with WBZ News Radio's Diane Stern.

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  Dr. Eunice Kwak from Mass General speaks with WBZ News Radio's Diane Stern.

There's a two to 7-percent incidence of these abnormalities in lung cancer patients, most of whom have a light or no-smoking history.

The clinical trial is on-going.

It's supported by drugmaker Pfizer.

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