The daily intake of a drug, already marketed in France, would be able to reduce by 51% the risk of death of a patient suffering from a type of lung cancer.
New hope in the treatment of lung cancer. Daily intake of one tablet of Tagrisso®A medication developed by the pharmaceutical group Astra Zenecawould allow reduce the risk of death for lung cancer patients by 51% says “non-small cell” (there most common form lung cancer), according to the results of a clinical trial presented lon June 4, 2023 by theAmerican Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) at Annual Cancer Congress in Chicago. In this test based on 682 patients at an early stage of the disease living in around 20 countries (including France), the first half had the tumor removed and then took one Tagrisso tablet daily®. The other half received a placebo. After 3 years, 88% of patients who took the treatment daily after having their tumor removed were still alive, compared to 78% of the other participants. Also, adults with stage 2 and 3A lung cancer treated with Tagrisso® were 83% less likely to have their cancer come back compared to those who had taken no active medication.
What is Tagrisso?
This medicine is composed ofosimertiniba substance that prevents the action of the EGFR receptor, carrier of the mutation responsible for this type of cancer. Only prescribed on medical prescription by a cancer professionalthis medication helps to slow or stop the growth of lung cancer or shrink the tumor. He can too prevent the disease from spreading to the brain, liver or bones (metastasis). Nevertheless, it has side effects, rare but seriousincluding lung problems (difficulty breathing, shortness of breath), fever, heart problems (abnormal signal from the heart), eye problems (watery eyes, eye pain, change in vision) and skin problems (purple spots, redness…), can we read on the official drug website. Moreover, “it is not known if Tagrisso is safe and effective in children“, wishes to specify the laboratory. This treatment, is already authorized in about ten countries, including France by the High Authority of Health (HAS) and has shown therapeutic benefit in adults with this type of lung cancer. But it cannot be administered than in patients with the EGFR receptor mutationwhich would represent 1,500 to 2,000 patients in France.