CDSCO Approves Durvalumab Immunotherapy for Gastric Cancer
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
- ▶
Treatment Protocol: BEFORE, the standard was surgery combined only with perioperative FLOT chemotherapy. NOW, Durvalumab is added to FLOT in both neoadjuvant (before surgery) and adjuvant (after surgery) settings, followed by single-agent Durvalumab maintenance.
- ▶
Survival Outcomes: BEFORE, the five-year survival rate for resectable gastric cancer remained below 50 percent despite FLOT treatment. NOW, clinical trials show a 28 percent reduction in the risk of event-free survival events or death when Durvalumab is added.
- ▶
Mechanism of Action: BEFORE, standard perioperative care relied on cytotoxic chemotherapy, which non-specifically kills rapidly dividing cells. NOW, patients receive a targeted monoclonal antibody (Durvalumab) that blocks the PD-L1 protein, preventing tumor cells from evading the T-cell immune response.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the recent CDSCO approval of Durvalumab? 1. Durvalumab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as a checkpoint inhibitor by blocking the PD-L1 protein. 2. It was approved as India's first perioperative immunotherapy approach specifically for non-small cell lung cancer.