- Good Sleep Can Make You Feel Young
- U.S. Mpox Cases Rising Again as Vaccinations Lag
- Binge Drinking Boosts Heart Risks, Especially for Women
- Too Often, Nearby Defibrillators Go Unused on People in Cardiac Arrest
- Stressed? Some Genes Could Raise Your Heart Attack Risk
- Puerto Rico Declares Dengue Epidemic as Cases Climb
- Hormonal Meds for Birth Control, Menopause Linked to Brain Tumors
- These 3 Factors Make Your Brain More Vulnerable to Dementia
- High Rate of Suicidal Thoughts Among Black Men in Rural America: Study
- Just 30 Minutes Less Sitting Time Per Day Cuts Seniors’ High Blood Pressure
Abraxane Approved for Late-Stage Pancreatic Cancer
FRIDAY, Sept. 6U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for Abraxane (paclitaxel) has been expanded to include advanced pancreatic cancer, the agency said Friday in a news release.
The agency previously approved the chemotherapy drug to treat cancers of the lung and breast.
Some 45,220 people are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and an estimated 38,460 will die from it, the FDA said.
Pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer death. Surgery is the only way to permanently remove pancreatic cancer, but it’s usually too late for surgery by the time most cases are identified, the agency said.
Abraxane’s safety and effectiveness in treating pancreatic cancer were evaluated in clinical trials involving 861 people. Those treated with Abraxane and another chemotherapy drug, gemcitabine, lived an average of 1.8 months longer than those treated with gemcitabine alone.
Common side effects of the drug combination included a drop in white blood cells and blood platelets, fatigue, nerve damage in the extremities, vomiting, diarrhea and fever.
Abraxane is marketed by Celgene, based in Summit, N.J.
More information
Medline Plus has more about pancreatic cancer.
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.