Using Keytruda for Mesothelioma May Become a Reality

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently upgraded its approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, inching it closer to becoming an accepted treatment option for pleural mesothelioma. Pembrolizumab, produced by pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co., also is marketed as Keytruda. The FDA’s announcement last week converted its previous “accelerated” approval in second-line treatment of lung cancer to regular first-line treatment for tumors that express the PD-L1 protein. This is the first FDA approval of a checkpoint inhibitor — a drug that unleashes an immune system attack on cancer cells — for first-line treatment of lung cancer. The approval has fueled the growing belief that help also is on the way in the form of Keytruda for mesothelioma patients who have run out of options after chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. “It could take a while yet, and we still don’t have enough data to say for sure, but yes, [Keytruda] could become the next big thing for mesothelioma,” Dr. Tawee Tanvetyanon, oncologist at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, told Asbestos.com. “It might not be the home run, but it seems to work well in certain cases.” Clinical Trials Demonstrate Effectiveness The FDA approval of pembrolizumab was based on two clinical trials that showed significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival in comparison to chemotherapy. There are more than 90 active clinical trials across the count...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: clinical trials for mesothelioma first line treatment for mesothelioma immunotherapy for mesothelioma keytruda pembrolizumab pleural mesothelioma treatment Source Type: news