Breakthrough
lung cancer pill Osimertinib shows promise at stopping disease
progression and improving patient survival
The
fight against lung cancer doesn’t have to be a solo battle.
To
help Filipino patients and their loved ones rise above this
challenging condition, biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has
partnered with the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology (PSMO),
along with local support groups such as the Cancer Coalition
Philippines (CCP), and the Philippine Alliance of Patient
Organizations (PAPO) to launch LVNG With Lung Cancer, an online
resource portal for patients across all stages of the disease.
“Being
diagnosed with lung cancer can make patients feel anxious and
hopeless, which is why support is vital,” explains Dr. Donald Ray
Josue, Medical Affairs Head of AstraZeneca Philippines. “LVNG With
provides support by forming a community of patients and their loved
ones so they can inspire one another and exchange helpful information
about their treatment. Through the network, patients may realize that
while lung cancer is not yet curable, it is very treatable. There’s
still so much more for them to look forward to in their lives.”
Struggling
with stigma
Lung
cancer is the top cancer killer worldwide, with 2.09 million
incidences and 1.76 million fatalities this year alone according to
the GLOBOCAN
2018 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer
(IARC).[1]
But while a majority of lung cancer deaths involve tobacco use,[2]
non-smokers are also at serious risk.
“‘Are
you a smoker?’ Many lung cancer patients get this question, but the
truth is, different factors cause the disease,” said Dr. Denky
Shoji Dela Rosa, a medical oncologist from the University of the East
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center and St. Luke’s Medical
Center . “Lack of awareness has been a source of stigma because
people often put the blame on the individual. This makes it difficult
for lung cancer patients to find support and form communities.”
A 2015
study on the European
Respiratory Journal notes that about 25 percent of lung cancer
incidences are not linked to smoking, and that the rate of
never-smokers diagnosed with the disease has been increasing.[3]
The American
Cancer Society identifies several causes, such as exposure to
second-hand smoke, diesel exhaust, asbestos, radioactive radon gas,
and chemicals released by burning coal products.[4]
Adding
to the stigma, new patients tend to think that their illness is a
hopeless case. This leaves them with a sense of isolation that
worsens their anxiety over their diagnosis.
LVNG
With addresses these stigmas by dispelling myths that prevent lung
cancer patients from seeking proper treatment and seeing hope in
their condition. The community also empowers patients with
information that enable them to reach out to medical professionals so
they can learn more about treatment options.
Dr. Mary Claire Soliman,
president of the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology and member of
Cancer Coalition Philippines also emphasizes that, “Standard
evidence-based medicine is the way to go in treatment. I understand
how the promise of alternative medicines (‘natural”, “herbal”
or “nutraceutical medicine”) may be tempting, especially with
their claims that they do not have side effects. The fact of the
matter is that there is very little evidence to support these claims.
A recently published
study by Skyler B Johnson at the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute this January 2018 revealed that patients who initially
chose alternative medicine over conventional lung cancer treatment
had a more than twofold increase
risk of dying. At the end
of the day, alternative treatments should not replace standard
evidence-based medicine.”
 |
From left: Dr. Mary Claire Vega-Soliman, President of the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology and Head of the Tumor Clinic of East Avenue Medical Center; Carla Comendador Britanico, a patient living with Stage IV lung cancer for more than 6 years; Dr. Ma. Luisa T. Abesamis-Tiambeng, Director of the Cancer Center at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center; and Dr. Paolo dela Rosa, Medical Advisor and Medical Oncologist at AstraZeneca Philippines.
|
Breakthrough
treatment
Chemotherapy—or
the use of drugs to kill and stunt malignant tumors—is usually
thought of as the only treatment for cancer. “The fact is, various
options are now available depending on the patient’s diagnosis,
preference, and recommendations from the healthcare team. Among these
include surgery to remove affected lung tissues, radiation therapy
that use high doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells, and
targeted drug therapy.”, Dr. Maria Luisa Abesamis-Tiambeng of
Cardinal Santos Medical Center emphasized.
.
Targeted
drug therapy may be recommended based on biopsy findings. Through
biomarker testing, the biopsy can reveal genetic mutations in cancer
cells that can be targeted by drugs designed to zero in on those
cellular abnormalities.
Therapeutic
advances have made targeted drug therapy the standard of care for
personalized medicine in the fight against certain lung cancers. One
breakthrough is Tagrisso (Osimertinib), an oral tablet from a class
of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) that target tumors
with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations.
Tagrisso
(Osimertinib) is a third-generation EGFR TKI that has shown better
precision and power at stopping lung cancer growth and improving
patient survival. A double-blind FLAURA study shows that Tagrisso
delivers 18.9 months of median progression-free survival, nearly
twice as long as older drugs that deliver a median of 10.2 months.
Tagrisso (Osimertinib) also reduces the risk of lung cancer
metastasis on the central nervous system by 52 percent, and lowers
the risk of death by 37 percent based on its preliminary data.
“These
results have made Tagrisso (Osimertinib) the recommended and
preferred first-line treatment by international guidelines for
advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer—the most
prevalent type of lung cancer—that tested positive for EGFR,” Dr.
Josue adds.
EGFR
biomarker testing is available across laboratories and hospitals
nationwide including the Chong Hua Hospital, Hi-Precision
Diagnostics, Lung Center of the Philippines, Manila HealthTek Inc.,
National Kidney and Transplant Institute, St. Luke’s Medical Center
Global City, and The Medical City.
Learn
more about LVNG With Lung Cancer at www.lvngwithphilippines.com
or www.lvngph.com.
This
article is published as part of the celebration of November as Lung
Cancer
Month. It
is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional.
Always
consult your doctor.
Osimertinib
is a prescription medicine. Patients should consult their physicians
regarding
their condition and their treatment.
References:
[1]
Globacan 2018, International Agency for Research on Cancer,
http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/15-Lung-fact-sheet.pdf.
[2]
“What are the Risk Factors for Lung Cancer?” Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention,
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm.
[3]
“Lung cancer in never-smokers,” European Respiratory Journal,
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/45/5/1214.full.pdf.
[4]
“What Causes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?” American Cancer
Society,
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html.
[5]
Soria J-C, Ohe Y, Vansteenkiste J, et al; FLAURA Investigators.
Osimertinib in untreated EGFR-mutated advanced non–small-cell lung
cancer. N Engl J Med. 2018;378(2):113-125.
[6]
NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for
NSCLC v6.2018. ©National Comprehensive Cancer Network, Inc. 2018.
To view the most recent and complete version of the guideline, go
online to NCCN.org.
[1][1]
Globacan 2018, International Agency for Research on Cancer,
http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/15-Lung-fact-sheet.pdf.
[2][2]
“What are the Risk Factors for Lung Cancer?” Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention,
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm.
[3][3]
“Lung cancer in never-smokers,” European Respiratory Journal,
http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/45/5/1214.full.pdf.
[4][4]
“What Causes Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?” American Cancer
Society,
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-small-cell-lung-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/what-causes.html.
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