Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) is a type of chemotherapy drug that targets specific cancer cells. It’s used to treat following cancers that have spread to other parts of the body or can’t be removed by surgery:
- triple-negative breast cancer or TNBC (negative for estrogen and progesterone hormone receptors and HER2) who have already undergone at least two prior treatments, including at least one for metastatic disease.
- hormone receptor-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer who have already tried hormone therapy and at least two other treatments for cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
- bladder cancer and other urinary tract cancers who have undergone treatment with chemotherapy containing platinum and an immunotherapy medication.
Trodelvy treatment strives to extend both the lifespan and the duration of progression-free survival for patients. In many cases, there are limited alternative treatments accessible for these types of cancers.
Trodelvy’s Efficacy in Treating Urothelial Cancer:
For people with advanced urothelial carcinoma that can’t be removed by surgery or has spread, and whose cancer got worse despite trying platinum-based combination therapy and checkpoint inhibitors, Trodelvy treatment showed promising results. In a study called TROPHY-U-01, patients had a median progression-free survival time of 5.4 months and a median overall survival time of 10.9 months.
Most patients with these types of cancers typically live for around 7 to 8 months on average. Out of the 113 patients in the first group of the TROPHY-U-01 trial, 27 percent showed positive responses to the treatment. Without Trodelvy, only about 10 percent of these patients would typically respond to treatment.
Can Trodelvy Reduce Tumor Size?
Trodelvy can make your tumors smaller. In a study with patients having urothelial cancer, about 27 percent of them responded well to the treatment. Among them, around 5 percent saw their tumors vanish completely, and about 22 percent noticed their tumors shrink by at least 30 percent.
In the ASCENT trial, around 4 percent of patients with triple-negative breast cancer saw their tumors vanish completely (complete response), while approximately 31 percent experienced a partial response, meaning their tumors shrunk but didn’t disappear entirely.
Apart from those who see their tumors shrink with Trodelvy, some patients also experience a positive impact as it helps keep their disease stable. This means their tumors don’t grow larger for a while, providing relief from worsening symptoms.
Conclusion:
Urothelial cancer presents significant challenges, but advancements in treatment options like Trodelvy offer hope for improved outcomes. By understanding the disease, exploring innovative therapies, and accessing support networks, patients can navigate their journey with confidence and resilience.
Reference:
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2028485?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa1814213?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed
https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.20.03489?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed