Immunotherapy Drug For Treating Advanced Stages Of Cancer Now Available In The Country

Immunotherapy, one of the most innovative cancer treatment methods, can now be accessed in the country, thus making the rays of hope brighter for Filipino patients with advanced stages of lung cancer and melanoma.

According to experts, immunotherapy, also called biologic therapy, is a type of cancer treatment designed to boost the body’s natural defenses to fight the cancer. It uses materials either made by the body or in a laboratory to improve, target, or restore immune system function.

In a media symposium held Thursday at Diamond Hotel in Manila, medical doctors revealed that currently, a drug called “Pembrolizumab” or Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1), is now available as a new “treatment option” for cancer and can be accessed by consulting with trusted oncologists who can administer them.

“Actually, the MSD drug which is called Pembrolizumab has been approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on February 17,” said Dr. Ena Lyn Ang, medical adviser of Oncology MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) in the Philippines.

Pembrolizumab is a humanized antibody used in cancer immunotherapy. It targets the programmed cell death 1 receptor. The drug was initially used in treating metastatic melanoma.

Dr. Ang said that the drug was manufactured for the treatment of advanced or metastatic (late stage) lung cancer and melanoma after failing first-line treatment, meaning other treatment options were already tried, but were not effective or did not work for the cure of the cancer patient.

She explained that the drug acts as “immune checkpoint inhibitor” by preventing the interaction between the immune system’s T-cells and the tumors.

She said that in the process, when the tumors and T-cells interact together, a protein found in the tumor called PD-L1 deactivates the T-cells so they become incapable of recognizing and destroying cancer cells.

Through the immunotherapy or Pembrolizumab drug, the interaction is “blocked” so that T-cells can detect and ward-off the cancer cells.

“Ang ibig sabihin, tinutulungan ng Pembrolizumab drug ang ating sariling immune system para malabanan ang lung cancer at melanoma — iyun ang talagang action ng gamot,” Dr. Ang explained in an interview with the Philippines News Agency.

She said that the drug cannot be bought directly from the hospital because as of the moment, purchasing it can be made directly from the distributor of MSD through the oncologists that are treating cancer patients.

She further said that interested cancer patients with advanced stages or their relatives may ask for more details about it through their oncologists.

“We advise them to ask or consult their trusted oncologists about it,” she said.

When asked about the price, she said that they cannot give exact estimate of how much will it cost a certain patient because the dosage varies from one patient to another which is usually determined through the weight of the patient.

She also said that the price will also tend to vary in terms of the length or period in which the drug will be needed to be administered to the cancer patient.

Dr. Gerardo Cornelio, Cancer Institute Head of St. Luke’s Medical Center Global City, on the other hand, shared that Pembrolizumab drug has the potential to become an integral part of cancer treatment.

Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases and annual cases globally are expected to rise to 22 million within the next two decades.

In 2012 alone, there were 14 million new cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO), with 8.2 million cancer-related deaths.

Lung cancer is top cause of cancer mortality for both sexes worldwide.

Sadly, incidence from the Philippines is not far-off from the global data.

According to Globocan 2012, lung cancer is the second most common cancer incidence and mortality among Filipino men and women.

As for melanoma, a skin cancer whose risk factors include sun exposure, fair complexion and genetics, around 300 Filipinos are affected annually.

Though melanoma is not one of the most common cancers in the country, early diagnosis remains a challenge for most patients.

MSD is a global healthcare leader providing innovative medicines, vaccines, therapies, animal health products and solutions. (PNA) SCS/LSJ/EDS