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I'm seeing this more and more and wanted an opinion from the oncologists. Someone had one immunotherapy drug like Opdivo and it didn't work, so they're going to try another one like Tecentriq? I've also read that if one doesn't work, it's not likely another one will. Clarification, if you have any answers. Thanks!
Take care, Judy
Forums
Reply # - April 19, 2017, 06:58 PM
Hi Judy,
Hi Judy,
Dr. West has written about this question:
"It remains to be seen whether you can treat a patient with a PD-1 inhibitor like Keytruda, like Opdivo, and then get a good result once they show progression because you’ve given them a PD-L1 inhibitor, but for all intents and purposes, the results in terms of efficacy and also side effect profiles are remarkably similar and most specialists feel they are really essentially interchangeable until we see evidence showing otherwise." - http://cancergrace.org/lung/2016/
From that statement, it appears that while the trial evidence isn't available, most oncologists would not expect success after progression by switching from (for instance) one PD-1 inhibitor to another, but switching from a PD-1 to a PD-L1 inhibitor might be effective.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - April 20, 2017, 04:49 PM
Thanks Jim! wonder why when I
Thanks Jim! wonder why when I searched this didn't come up. Do you also know if it works with EGFR/ALK mutations, as I've read that it doesn't? Take care Judy
Reply # - April 21, 2017, 06:41 AM
Hi Judy,
Hi Judy,
If your questions is whether an EGFR- or ALK-positive patient should switch from an ineffective PD-1 inhibitor to a PD-L1 inhibitor (or vice-versa), I think there would be less enthusiasm for that, since the response to either type of immunotherapy agent tends to be low (although not zero) in such patients. Switching from one agent with a low probability of success to another one with similar prospects would probably not be the first choice.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - April 21, 2017, 12:15 PM
No, my question is whether it
No, my question is whether it's been shown to work for those with these mutations, as I'm reading that it's not. And you ended up answering this question either way! Thanks again!
Take care, Judy