When people think of cancer treatment, they usually think chemotherapy. And, while traditional chemotherapy is undeniably still rather relevant, we cannot forget that cancer treatment is advancing, due to plenty of research being done in an effort to develop targeted therapies that block specifically those processes that cancer cells need to grow. The use of EGFR inhibitors is perhaps one of the most successful examples of targeted therapy – used in lung cancer.
Among them, Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor stands out as a breakthrough drug that is saving lives worldwide. So, whether you are a researcher yourself, or you simply have a curious mind, chances are that you want to get a better understanding of Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor and the way it works. And, whether an amateur or an expert, there is undeniably a lot of things that you need to know about this substance. So, let us start talking about those things right away.
Understanding EGFR
Clearly, before we get to talking specifically about Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor, you need to understand what EGFR is, so as to be clear on what it is that the inhibitors are, well, inhibiting. EGFR stands for Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, and it is a protein that is found on the surface of various cells in the body. What it does is this – it receives signals that tell the cells to grow and divide.
Now, this is a rather important task, and in normal cells, EGFR works perfectly. Basically, when the body needs new cells, EGFR sends the necessary signals for that. And then when enough cells are made, it stops sending the signals. Yet, in certain types of cancer, especially the lung cancer type called non-small cell lung cancer.
This is because in those cases, the EGFR causes the switch to basically get stuck on the “on” position and to constantly send the signals that new cells are necessary. As you can imagine, this leads to cells growing uncontrollably. In short, it leads to tumor formation.
Understanding EGFR Inhibitors
This is where EGFR inhibitors come into play, with a rather important role. In short, we are talking about drugs that are designed to block that EGFR signal that is faulty. The idea is for them to shut down the overactive pathway and thus slow down, or completely stop the growth of the actual cancer cells. When you think about it for just a moment, I am sure that you will realize right away just how important this actually is.
Osimertinib (AZD9291) Explained
I believe that the above should have been enough to help you understand what EGFR inhibitors in general are, and that we don’t really need to get into any more details. We do, however, need to get more specific about a particular drug, called Osimertinib (AZD9291), as it is known to be one of the most advanced EGFR inhibitors, designed so as to overcome the limitations of the previous drugs. What is it, exactly, thus?
Perhaps you could read about it here: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/21/9/1236
So, this drug was developed by AstraZeneca, and it is basically a third generation EGFR inhibitor, used as a part of the treatment process for many people who have non-small cell lung cancer, as well as certain EGFR mutations. In fact, it is FDA approved, so it is often the very first treatment option for those specific EGFR-mutated types of cancer, as well as for those types that have seen no progression even after being treated with some other inhibitors. Another thing to know is that they are taken orally, as they come in the form of a pill, which makes things a lot easier for patients, especially when compared to, say, intravenous chemotherapy.
Now, what makes this particular drug stand out is the fact that it can affect even the new mutation, called T790M that a lot of patients often develop even after responding well to some other EGFR inhibitors. This is a mutation that actually makes the cancer resistant to first-generation drugs, thus leading to the tumor actually growing again. And, Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor has actually been developed to target both the original mutations, and the resistance one that we have mentioned here, which can undeniably have a significant effect on the treatment process.
Benefits of Osimertinib (AZD9291)
Let us now move on to the benefits of Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor, since it seems that we are kind of entering that territory above. Whether as a researcher, or as a patient, or generally as a medicine enthusiast that likes to do research, you surely want to know what kinds of benefits it is that you can really expect from this particular drug. And, there is no doubt that there are plenty, so let me now tell you about some of those, in an effort to help you get a better idea about what to expect if you decide to use this substance either in certain treatment processes, or perhaps even during research.
First things first, studies show that Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor is superior to other inhibitors, and that it, therefore, increases the survival rate. In fact, there are indications that it can actually extend survival for years, which is clearly a huge benefit. Especially when we are talking about advanced lung cancer.
Then, one of the unique advantages of Osimertinib (AZD9291) EGFR inhibitor lies in the fact that it can actually be effective against brain metastases. Through crossing the blood-brain barrier, it can reach the brain and thus treat the tumors that have spread there. And, that is another thing that is common in lung cancer.
Another great benefit that you should be aware of is the fact that this particular drug has fewer side effects compared to some other treatment processes, such as traditional chemotherapy. And, then, we also cannot deny the fact that it is a rather convenient treatment option, given that it comes in the form of a pill. That also improves the quality of life of the patients, allowing them to take the medicine at home, instead of having to go to the hospital.