Hepatocellular carcinoma is a type of liver cancer that affects people with chronic liver diseases
like cirrhosis, hepatitis B, etc. Every year, over 8,00,000 people are diagnosed with this cancer. Hepatocellular cancer accounts for around 7,00,00 deaths annually. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can cause an accumulation of fat in the liver, causing hepatocellular carcinoma.
Liver cancer is the third most common cause of death and the sixth most common cancer worldwide.
The latest development in hepatocellular treatment is a relief for sufferers. Let's dig deeper into the details.
On October 21, 2022, the FDA approved Tremelimumab (Imjudo) in combination with durvalumab (Imfinzi) for patients over the age of 18.
The positive results in the HIMALAYA Phase III trials of the Imjudo were the basis for the FDA's approval. Patients in this experiment who received Imjudo and Imfinzi had a 22% lower chance of death than those who received Sorafenib.
Results were also reported in the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence,
demonstrating that 31% of the patients were still alive after three years of treatment with Imjudo and Imfinzi.
Only 20% of patients were alive after the treatment with sorafenib.
Imjudo, combined with Imfinzi, can inhibit CTLA-4 and PD-L1 to enhance the body's immune response against cancer.
What are the side effects of Imjudo?
Imjudo may act with your immune system to treat specific liver cancers.
Imjudo with durvalumab can cause your immune system to target healthy organs and tissues, impacting their functioning. These issues can worsen to the point where they become life-threatening. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice one or more of these signs.
Who is not eligible to take Imjudo?
If you have the following issues, always consult your doctor before taking Imjudo:
- If you have Immune system issues like Crohn's disease.
- People with Nervous system disorders like myasthenia gravis or Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Pregnant or want to get pregnant women. Imjudo can harm the unborn baby.
- If you are breastfeeding, take Imjudo only after consultation.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8296838/
https://www.rxlist.com/imjudo-side-effects-drug-center.htm
https://jeccr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13046-021-01968-w
