TECENTRIQ, A PD-L1 INHIBITOR FOR ADVANCED LUNG CANCER PATIENTS
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SEP 30, 2018 10 PM
(Left to right: Family Medicine Specialist Dr Raja Ahmad Shaharul, Roche (Malaysia) general manager Lance Duan, Head of Lung and Thoracic Oncology Centre Professor Dr. Rolf Stahel and Dato’ Dr Mohamed Ibrahim launching Tecentriq.
FAST FACTS
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death. Worldwide (2012)
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Roche (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd recently launched Tecentriq (atezolizumab), a programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor approved in Malaysia for the treatment of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
An approved cancer immunotherapy designed to target the PD-L1 protein, Tecentriq is formulated to work with the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells. In a healthy immune system, the molecule PD-L1, which is found on T-cells, works as a ‘stop switch’ that prevents them from attacking normal cells. Some cancer cells that contain a large amount of PD-L1 can avoid being detected and destroyed by the T-cells. Tecentriq functions to block the activity of PD-L1, thereby stimulating the immune response against cancer cells . Late diagnosis “One of the main challenges in the treatment of lung cancer is late diagnosis, as patients may not have much symptoms until the cancer has advanced," said Medical Director Dato’ Dr Mohamed Ibrahim bin Dato’ A. Wahid. "In Malaysia, 75-88 per cent of cases are diagnosed in Stages III, during which treatment is largely to control the tumour or for palliation. The emergence of immunotherapy presents a viable treatment due to its low side effects and high tolerability profiles. It is recommended for patients with advanced disease or whose platinum-based chemotherapy or targeted therapy is not working." |
