Is this a chemotherapy or immunotherapy drug?
Key Points
Atezolizumab (brand name: Tecentriq) is a type of immunotherapy drug called an “immune checkpoint inhibitor”. It helps to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight cancer.
One way that cancer cells hide from the immune system is to take control of regulatory pathways like the "checkpoint" inhibitor pathway. Tecentriq can help to block this process to fight off cancer.
Atezolizumab works by targeting and blocking a protein called PD-L1 on the surface of certain immune cells called T-cells. Blocking PD-L1 triggers the T-cells to find and kill the cancer cells.
Tecentriq, from Genentech, was first approved in May 2016 and is used to treat advanced forms of:
Which U.S. indications have been withdrawn for Tecentriq?
The uses that have been withdrawn for Tecentriq and removed from the U.S. prescribing information include metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC, bladder cancer) and triple-negative breast cancer.
What is the difference between chemotherapy and immunotherapy?
Our own body has ways to fight off foreign substances and cancers through our immune system. However, cancer can learn how to hide from our immune system and can bypass inactivation that our own body usually provides. When this happens, cancer can grow.
Chemotherapy (“chemo”) kills rapidly dividing cancer cells and acts on cancer cells directly. Chemotherapy can be used with other treatments, such as surgery, radiation or immunotherapy, for an overall treatment regimen.
Immunotherapy helps to boost your natural immune system to fight off diseases such as cancer. Immunotherapy works by:
Immunotherapy can be given alone or in combination with other types of cancer treatments. It is given by an intravenous (IV) injection into your vein.
Immunotherapy is now an established way of administering cancer treatments and has shown success in many different types of malignancies.
Which checkpoint inhibitors are approved by the FDA?
There are several immune checkpoint inhibitors approved by the FDA, and they treat many different types of cancers. The available checkpoint inhibitors include:
How does atezolizumab (Tecentriq) work?
How atezolizumab (Tecentriq) works is somewhat different than with PD-1 checkpoint inhibitors.
Tecentriq was the first FDA-approved PD-L1 inhibitor.
What serious side effects can occur with atezolizumab?
Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become serious or life-threatening and can lead to death. These problems, called immune-mediated side effects, might happen anytime during or after your treatment.
Examples of immune-mediated side effects with Tecentriq, which can be fatal, include:
Tecentriq may also increase the risk for infections, which may be serious.
In addition to immune-mediated side effects, the most common side effects reported in clinical trials included:
Related: See a full listing of atezolizumab (Tecentriq) side effects here.
Bottom Line
This is not all the information you need to know about atezolizumab (Tecentriq) for safe and effective use and does not replace your healthcare provider's instructions. Review the full Tecentriq information here, and discuss this information and any questions with your doctor or other health care provider.
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