Cancer patients in UK to get immunotherapy drugs in single injection: Is this a faster therapy?
No more IV drips, cancer patients on immunotherapy can now take the drug in a single injection. The National Health Service (NHS), UK has introduced this quicker way of administering nivolumab — a drug that targets a protein to help the immune system fight cancer better – for 15 kinds of cancer, including skin, bladder and oesophageal.
Unlike the traditional hour-long IV drip, this under-the-skin injection takes just 15 minutes, sometimes as little as five minutes, for fortnightly or monthly doses. According to Dr Indoo Ammbulkar, HOD, Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Mumbai, the particular drug can reduce the frequency of injections, hospital visits and costs.
How can the new injection be a game-changer in immunotherapy?
Nivolumab is one of the important immunotherapy drugs for cancer treatment, particularly for renal cell cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, urothelial, colorectal, hepatocellular carcinoma, and esophageal carcinoma. As per the CHECKMATE 67T trial, not only can it be given via a subcutaneous route, its safety profile is similar to when the drug is administered the conventional way.
It has been well-tolerated with some adverse reactions like fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, pruritus, rash, and cough. Largely it is efficacious and saves the patient's time and logistic issues.
How does single-injection immunotherapy work?
Nivolumab blocks the PD-1 protein, which is a checkpoint that can prevent the immune system from attacking cancer cells. By blocking PD-1, nivolumab helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. This is a faster way of administering the drug and helps in advanced cancers.
How important is immunotherapy in cancer care?
Immunotherapy has changed the scenario of cancer treatment in the last decade. In the last five years, developments have been quicker. It is not only used in advanced stages but in early stages too. For example, immunotherapy has added years to lives of patients in advanced stages of certain cancers like those of the lungs and skin.
We recommend immunotherapy in early stages of lung and triple-negative breast cancers, even before surgery. If the patient shows a good pathological response, it leads to better survival chances. We will see a lot of cancer patients survive.
What about costs?
The cost of immunotherapy drugs continues to be high in India. Everything depends on scale. But fewer hospital visits can make the treatment journey more convenient and potentially more economical over time.
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