Drugs/Therapy

Lung Cancer Update: Pembrolizumab Now Approved, Drug Twice As Effective As Chemotherapy

By Vin Ross | Update Date: Jun 01, 2017 10:00 PM EDT

Lung Cancer is medically a malignant lung tumor, which is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in lung tissues. This sort of unnatural growth can spread beyond the lung by the process of metastasis to any parts of the body.

Now, chemotherapy is so far considered as one of the most important remedies for the condition. But recently, Pembrolizumab has been approved and declared twice as effective as chemotherapy. It finally got a green light from NHS bosses.

How Effective Is Pembrolizumab?

Pembrolizumab is a humanized antibody used in cancer immunotherapy. It functions by blocking protective mechanism on cancer cells and enhances the immune system to destroy those cancer cells. According to The Sun, Pembrolizumab is now approved by drug rationing experts for treating patients diagnosed with incurable and advanced tumors.

The source also reported that the drug, Pembrolizumab (marketed under the brand name Keytruda) is expected to assist 1,700 patients every year in England. According to Cancer Research UK, around 46,000 people are said to be affected with the disease every year.

Advanced Lung Cancer Can Be Restricted

Pembrolizumab can now be prescribed by doctors for patients suffering from advanced lung cancer and who have already received chemotherapy. The Cancer Drugs Fund will make the treatment available for boosting patients’ access to the new cancer drugs. The decision was beautiful and exciting and also a sort of releasing signal of a real change in the use of immunotherapy, as said by Alan Melcher, a professor of immunology at the Institute of Cancer Research, The Independent reported.

Under the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, Pembrolizumab was earlier accessible as a first-line lung cancer treatment and is used for treating skin cancer also that cannot be removed by surgery. Stay tuned for more updates on this newly approved cancer treatment.

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