Skip to main content
  • Advertise
    Want to Advertise with Us?
    Conquer welcomes advertising and sponsorship collaborations with reputable companies offering high-quality products and services to people affected by cancer.
  • Affiliated Brands
    Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators
    The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. Our organization of over 8,900 members was founded in May 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services to better manage the complexities of the cancer care treatment continuum for their patients. We view our organization as one consisting of “professional patient advocates” and, to that end, we support and serve our members.
    Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship
    The Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (JONS) promotes reliance on evidence-based practices in navigating patients with cancer and their caregivers through diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. JONS also seeks to strengthen the role of nurse and patient navigators in cancer care by serving as a platform for these professionals to disseminate original research findings, exchange best practices, and find support for their growing community.
    The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA
    The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA (TON) provides coverage of the wide spectrum of oncology-related events, trends, news, therapeutics, diagnostics, organizations, and legislation that directly affect hematology/oncology nurses and advanced practitioners involved in healthcare delivery and product utilization. The scope and coverage include a unique presentation of news and events that are shaping the care of patients with cancer.
  • Healthcare Providers
  • Contribute

Imfinzi the Second Immunotherapy Approved for Advanced Bladder Cancer

June 2017 Vol 3 No 3

On May 1, 2017, the FDA accelerated the approval of Imfinzi (durvalumab; from AstraZeneca) for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer (or urothelial carcinoma) in patients whose tumor progressed during or after platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant (before or after) treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

Imfinzi is the second PD-L1 inhibitor to receive approval for patients with advanced bladder cancer. The drug is administered as an intravenous infusion over 60 minutes every 2 weeks, until the tumor progresses or until the side effects are unacceptable.

At the same time, the FDA also approved the VENTANA PD-L1 (SP263) Assay, as a complementary diagnostic test for the detection of the PD-L1 protein in patients with bladder cancer.

In the clinical trial that led to this approval, overall, 17% of patients who received intravenous infusion with Imfinzi had their tumor shrink. When the response rate was analyzed by PD-L1 levels, 26.3% of patients with high PD-L1 expression had their tumor shrink versus 4.1% of those with low or no PD-L1 expression.

The most common side effects reported with Imfinzi are fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, constipation, decreased appetite, nausea, peripheral edema, and urinary tract infection, including severe adverse events. Immune-related side effects include infection in the lungs, liver, and colon, as well as thyroid disease, adrenal problems, and diabetes.

Recommended For You