MIAMI – Recent data from the first of a new type of a cancer drug shows it beat out chemotherapy in some cases.
Dr. Gilberto De Lima Lopes, Chief of Medical Oncology at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, said the new lung cancer pill targets a specific sub-set of a genetic mutation called KRAS.
“This is a sub group of patients that did not have a lot of options we can give these patients chemotherapy and immunotherapy but when those failed they didn’t have a lot of options but now we can now use this new drug called Sotorasib which blocks the KRAS g12c mutation in particular,” De Lima Lopes said.
He said compared to chemotherapy the drug helped patients survive without their tumors getting worse, and without the side effects of chemo.
The medication, sold under the brand name Lumakras, does pose the risk of liver problems.
In other health news, Moderna and Merck announced some success in the development of a possible vaccine for skin cancer.
The companies said patients who took the potential vaccine and Merck’s immunotherapy Keytruda saw a 44 percent reduction in the risk of death or the cancer returning.
Keytruda is Merck’s top seller and helps the body detect and fight cancer cells.
The companies plan to begin phase three of the study next year.
They also want to expand their research to other tumor types.
And a multinational analysis of more than 32 million deaths from cardiovascular disease found that more people died on days with extreme temperatures, both hot and cold.
For every 1,000 cardiovascular deaths, 2.2 excess deaths were associated with extreme hot days, and 9.1 were associated with extreme cold days.
The researchers now want to see guidelines developed to help mitigate the impact of extreme temperatures.