On March 27, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Imfinzi (durvalumab) in combination with etoposide and either carboplatin or cisplatin as first line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). The FDA based their approval on the results of the clinical trial CASPIAN which showed patients receiving Imfinzi in combination with chemotherapy lived longer, had more time without disease progression, and a higher percentage of patients experiencing a response to treatment than those on chemotherapy alone.
Imfinzi is only the second immunotherapy drug to be approved by the FDA for first line treatment of small cell lung cancer. This gives patients more options in the fight against small cell lung cancer.
I had chemo which included carboplatin and was immediately hospitalized with pneumonia after each dose. I needed steroids to break the cycle. It worked on my cancer (7 years out), but nearly killed me with pneumonia. Please run allergy tests on these drugs. Before giving them as part of chemo. Carboplatin is a metal that I was allergic too.
10 yr survivor from SCLC . I never see ANYTHING on this cancer without looking it up. This is amazing !!!
I am a small cell lung cancer survivor 9 years I think . This is wonderful news . I would love to have the opportunity to add to any Small cell lung cancer research. I would like the chance to converse with someone about the side effects that I have now 9 years after this treatment . I was lucky enough to be treated at one of California’s top Cancer facilities.