Newsletter No. 343

4 No. 343, 19.9.2009 肺癌基因研究促進個人化治療 Personalized Therapy for Lung Cancer Realized by Groundbreaking Study 太 空與地球信息科學研究所（太空所）兩位博士研究生趙卿與武磊，於8月13日 在美國華盛頓召開的第十七屆地理信息科學國際會議上獲頒最佳學生論文獎。 趙卿的論文探討利用雷達衞星遙感方法監測地表沉降的成果，其研究範疇包括香港國 際機場與珠江三角洲的城市的地面沉降問題；武磊的論文則研究個人空間認知道路網 絡和柵格化路線搜尋算法，從而開發一套行人疏散行為模擬方法。他一直與香港警務 處合作，就管理大型戶外活動進行研究，並提供專業意見，改善人流控制。 M iss Zhao Qing and Mr. Wu Lei, PhD students of the Institute of Space and Earth Information Science (ISEIS), received the best student paper award from the International Conference GeoInformatics 2009 in Washington DC on 13 August. Miss Zhao Qing’s paper presented her study on the monitoring of ground surface subsidence with satellite radar remote sensing, which has been applied to the Hong Kong International Airport and cities in the Pearl River Delta. Mr. Wu Lei investigated pedestrian evacuation behaviour and proposed a simulation of such behaviour using references from personalized spatial cognitive road network and raster capable route finding algorithm. He has been collaborating with the Hong Kong Police Force to conduct research and provide advice on the management of large-scale outdoor events. 醫 學院腫瘤學系領導的一項亞洲區研究發現，基因出現突變的腺性肺癌病人在確 診後隨即服用肺癌標靶治療藥物吉非替尼（gefitinib），無論在無疾病存活率 和腫瘤縮小的比率方面，治療效果均較注射傳統化療藥顯著。 這項亞洲區研究由中大領導，在最新一期醫學權威刊物《新英倫醫學雜誌》發表，是 首項由本港領導的非小細胞肺癌研究獲該刊刊載。歐洲聯盟更根據研究結果，批准吉 非替尼註冊為「表皮生長因子受體」（EGFR）基因出現突變的晚期肺癌患者的全線 療法，足證中大在治療肺癌領域的國際領導地位。 腫瘤學系莫樹錦教授自2006年開始領導該項研究，對一千二百一十七名患有晚期非小 細胞肺癌的亞洲病人進行開放性的隨機試驗平行對照研究，評估吉非替尼用於第一線 治療的效力、安全性及可忍受度，以與傳統化療藥卡鉑 / 紫杉醇作比較。 研究結果發現吉非替尼的療效對EGFR基因出現突變的患者尤為顯著，其無疾病存活 期較接受化療的病人增加五成。在副作用和腫瘤受控的情況方面，吉非替尼的表現亦 比化療為佳，證實吉非替尼可以作為EGFR基因突變病人的第一線治療藥物。 莫教授形容，這次研究成果是肺癌治療邁向個人化的重要里程碑，為一大醫學突破。 他說：「以往所有肺癌病人都須接受化療，但並非所有病人的病情都得到改善。是次 研究證明吉非替尼對EGFR基因突變病人的療效較為顯著，建議醫生日後可先替患者 進行基因突變測試，再為合適的病人處方個人化的治療方案。」。 A study led by the Department of Clinical Oncology has found that gefitinib as a targeted therapy for lung cancer, if administered right after definite diagnosis, has a higher efficacy than conventional intravenous chemotherapy for patients with adenocarcinoma harbouring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, both in terms of the rate of progression-free survival and cancer growth reduction. Results of the CUHK-led study have been published in the latest issue of The New England Journal of Medicine , the first Hong Kong-led lung cancer study to be published in that journal. Based on the data of this study, the medical authorities in the European Union recently granted gefitinib to lung cancer patients with EGFR mutation in all lines of therapy for advanced stage disease. This highlights the leading position that CUHK holds in lung cancer therapy studies worldwide. Led by Prof. Tony S.K. Mok from the Department of Clinical Oncology since 2006, the IRESSA Pan-Asia Study (IPASS) was an open-label, randomized, parallel- group study of 1,217 Asians with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The study aims to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of gefitinib as a first-line therapy for lung cancer versus carboplatin/paclitaxel in the conventional chemotherapy. It has been found that gefitinib is remarkably efficacious for patients with EGFR mutation, and their rate of progression-free survival is 50% longer than those receiving chemotherapy. In terms of side effects and control of cancer growth, gefitinib has proved to be more efficacious than chemotherapy. Results of IPASS have verified the efficacy of gefitinib as a first-line therapy for lung cancer with EGFR mutation. Prof. Tony Mok said, ‘The study is a milestone in personalized medicine for cancer patients. In the past, all patients diagnosed with lung cancer were given chemotherapy, but not all of them benefited from it. Our study has shown that gefitinib is more efficacious for lung cancer patients with EGFR mutation. The new paradigm is that doctors may check for EGFR mutation and prescribe a personalized treatment plan for the appropriate patients.’ （左起）趙卿、太空所所長林琿教授和武磊 (From left) Miss Zhao Qing, Prof. Lin Hui, director of the ISEIS, and Mr. Wu Lei 莫樹錦教授（左）及名譽臨床助理教授林國智醫生拼上拼圖，象徵肺癌病人將獲度身訂造 的個人化治療方案 Prof. Tony Mok (left) and Dr. K.C. Lam, clinical assistant professor (honorary) at the Department of Clinical Oncology, put together a puzzle, symbolizing lung cancer treatment will be tailor-made for patients as personalized treatment 太空所研究生獲最佳學生論文獎 ISEIS Students Win Best Paper in International Conference