durvalumab

IMFINZI is not chemotherapy, but rather an immunotherapy. It functions by collaborating with the immune system to identify and combat cancer.

If you experience any side effects such as nausea, hair loss, or feeling tired or weak while taking IMFINZI with other anticancer medicines for ES-SCLC, please inform your healthcare provider. It is important to let them know if any side effect is bothersome or persists.

The updated results show that durvalumab has a strong and long-lasting survival benefit compared to placebo, with estimated 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of 42.9% and 33.1% for durvalumab and 33.4% and 19.0% for placebo, respectively. These findings further support the positive outcomes observed in the primary analyses.

Hair loss is not a guaranteed side effect of all cancer treatments. While chemotherapy and radiation therapy are commonly associated with hair loss, other treatments like targeted therapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy may result in hair thinning or slower hair growth.

Symptoms to watch out for include an irregular heartbeat, difficulty breathing, sudden weight gain, swelling in the arms or legs, cognitive issues or memory loss, and sensations of numbness or tingling.

While taking IMFINZI, you may encounter side effects as it can trigger your immune system to attack healthy organs and tissues, potentially impacting their functionality. These issues can occasionally escalate to severe or life-threatening conditions, and in certain instances, may result in death.

The addition of Durvalumab to chemotherapy prior to surgery may result in greater tumor reduction compared to chemotherapy alone.

Administer the infusion solution intravenously over a period of 60 minutes using an intravenous line equipped with a sterile, low-protein binding 0.2 or 0.22 micron in-line filter.

Possible side effects may include tooth or mouth infections, such as thrush, which is characterized by white patches in the mouth. Additionally, the flu (influenza) may occur, presenting symptoms such as a sudden fever, body aches, fatigue, night sweats, and muscle pain.

On average, patients received 16 (7-24) durvalumab infusions every two weeks over a period of 9 (2.9-11.8) months. Approximately 19% of patients (n = 180) experienced interruptions in durvalumab therapy, with a median (IQR) duration of 53 (39-90) days.

Durvalumab, a fully human immunoglobulin G1 kappa monoclonal antibody, specifically targets PD-L1 expressed on numerous tumor cells. Initially authorized for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma or non-small cell lung carcinoma, it has shown promising results in these patient populations.

Variable Baseline value Range Drug costs in the US, $/per cycle for Gemcitabine is 15.06 to 12.04, for Cisplatin it is 8.72 to 6.97, and for Durvalumab it is 11,730 to 9,384.

Not everyone benefits from it. Immunotherapy drugs demonstrate varying effectiveness across different types of cancers, and while they can be life-changing for certain individuals, they do not yield positive results for all patients. On average, only around 15 to 20% of patients experience a favorable response.

A drug class refers to a collection of medications that function in a comparable manner. It is important to note that these medications are not classified as chemotherapy drugs. Imfinzi consists of the active ingredient durvalumab, while Keytruda contains a distinct active ingredient called pembrolizumab.

In this setting, the new benchmark for standard of care is established with 42.9% of patients randomly assigned to durvalumab remaining alive at 5 years and 33.1% of patients remaining alive and free of disease progression.

The treatment cycle for durvalumab can last either 14 days (2 weeks) or 28 days (4 weeks). Each administration of durvalumab takes approximately an hour. The duration of durvalumab treatment can be up to a year, as long as it remains effective and the side effects are manageable.

Imfinzi has established itself as the go-to treatment for unresectable stage 3 NSCLC, but it seems to be less effective against stage 4 metastatic tumors compared to Keytruda. Furthermore, Imfinzi’s recent performance in the Pearl study showed that it was unable to outperform chemotherapy in certain stage 4 NSCLC patients.

Monoclonal antibodies (MABs) can impact the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors, a form of immunotherapy, obstruct various checkpoint proteins. Cytokines, a group of naturally occurring proteins, are present in the body.

Drug Names: Durvalumab, Nivolumab, Retevmo (selpercatinib)
Brand Names: Imfinzi, Opdivo, N/A
Half Life: 408 hours, 640.8 hours, 32 hours

Your doctor will decide the frequency and duration of your IMFINZI infusion, which can be either every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks for a maximum of 12 months. If your disease worsens or if you experience unmanageable side effects, your IMFINZI treatment will be discontinued.

Hair loss is a possible side effect of Imfinzi treatment, as reported in clinical trials of the drug.

KEYTRUDA functions as an immunotherapy by obstructing the PD-1 pathway, which in turn prevents cancer cells from evading detection. By enabling the immune system to fulfill its intended purpose of identifying and combating cancer cells, KEYTRUDA aids in the fight against cancer.

Durvalumab has the potential to trigger an immune response against both cancerous cells and healthy organs and tissues within your body. As a result, there is a risk of experiencing severe or life-threatening side effects on various organs such as the lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys, intestines, thyroid, or adrenal glands. It is important to be aware that durvalumab may lead to significant adverse effects.

KEYTRUDA is an immunotherapy that collaborates with your immune system to combat cancer, rather than being chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

In this setting, the new benchmark for standard of care is established with 42.9% of patients randomly assigned to durvalumab remaining alive at 5 years and 33.1% of patients remaining alive and free of disease progression.

Metastatic lung cancer refers to the type of cancer that originates in one lung and then spreads to the other lung or other organs. Treating metastatic lung cancer is more challenging compared to cancer that remains confined to its initial site.

The researchers conducted a study to examine the long-term effects of an immunotherapy drug on individuals with early-stage lung cancer. The results showed that after 5 years, 80% of the participants who received the immunotherapy drug were still alive. In comparison, the survival rates for individuals who underwent standard treatments ranged from 36% to 68%.

SCLC, which accounts for 10-15% of lung cancers, is the most aggressive type and primarily affects smokers. It spreads quickly, often without noticeable symptoms, and typically originates in the bronchi of the lungs.

Given that most lung cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced disease (stage 3b/4), it is improbable for these treatments to lead to complete cures. However, they can greatly enhance survival rates and alleviate symptoms.

The results indicate that discontinuing treatment after two years does not appear to have a detrimental impact on survival rates. This may provide reassurance to patients and healthcare providers who are considering whether to stop the treatment at that point.

Lung cancer immunotherapy presents challenges due to the ability of cancer cells to evade immune detection and suppress the immune response. This is achieved through various mechanisms, including the modulation of T-cell mediated cytotoxicity, secretion of immune-suppressive cytokines, and loss of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression.

The data shows a 32% reduction in the likelihood of patients experiencing disease recurrence, progression events, or death with the use of immunotherapy-based treatment compared to chemotherapy alone.

On February 16, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration approved durvalumab as consolidation therapy for patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC, regardless of their levels of PD-L1 expression. This decision was based on data from the PACIFIC study (7).

Durvalumab, a novel immune-checkpoint inhibitor, is an antineoplastic monoclonal antibody utilized in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma and locally advanced, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer. It is classified as a human immunoglobulin G1 kappa (IgG1κ) monoclonal antibody.

Some patients treated with durvalumab may experience cholestatic liver injury instead of hepatocellular liver injury. Cholestatic liver injury typically occurs later (after 3 to 10 cycles) and is characterized by abdominal pain and jaundice.

AstraZeneca’s durvalumab has an average monthly cost of approximately $15,000, in accordance with The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Variable Baseline value Range Drug costs in the US, $/per cycle for Gemcitabine is 15.06 to 12.04, for Cisplatin it is 8.72 to 6.97, and for Durvalumab it is 11,730 to 9,384.

Durvalumab, a fully human immunoglobulin G1 kappa monoclonal antibody, specifically targets PD-L1 expressed on numerous tumor cells. Initially authorized for the treatment of urothelial carcinoma or non-small cell lung carcinoma, it has shown promising results in these patient populations.