The FDA recently approved Keytruda, a drug created by Merck & Co., Inc., for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. This accelerated approval means that access to the drug will be provided to lung cancer patients while Merck conducts confirmatory clinical trials.
Use of Keytruda
Keytruda is an immunotherapy drug that works by blocking the cellular pathway known as PD-1/PD-L1 (proteins found on the body’s immune cells and some cancer cells). The blocking of this pathway may help the body’s immune system fight cancer cells. During trials, tumors shrank in 41 percent of 550 advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Keytruda has shown great promise for mesothelioma patients as well. Many mesothelioma victims have petitioned to see the same accelerated approval for the treatment of their disease.
Mesothelioma as a Disease
Mesothelioma is an incurable disease. Many patients choose to partake in clinical trials and cutting edge treatments to both extend their lives and reduce symptoms. Keytruda users have experience tumor shrinkage and improved quality of life with just a few treatments. Some mesothelioma patients claim the drug is a “miracle drug” and a “first sign of hope” for those diagnosed with the disease.
Learn More
If you are a mesothelioma patient and want to see this drug available to you sooner than later, do not hesitate to sign this petition, along with thousands of others. To learn more about possible drug options, call our office to schedule a consultation.
