Targeted drugs included in health care experts: the future needs to overcome drug resistance

, January 10 (Cai Minxuan) "Compared with other countries, lung cancer in the Mainland has unique epidemiological characteristics and patient types. For example, the mutation rate of EGFR (epidermoderpial growth factor) in patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma in China is about 60%, compared with about 10% in the United States. Long Hao, director of the Lung Cancer Research Institute at Sun Yat-sen University, said in a recent interview that it is this high rate of genetic mutations that distinguishes other countries, making targeted treatment one of the most important means of lung cancer diagnosis and treatment in China.
but how to overcome drug resistance to targeted treatments remains a problem in the future, with "fourth-generation targeted drugs undergoing clinical trials and expected to be available in two to three years."
is the world's most morbidity and mortality cancer. Lung cancer is also the most morbid and mortality cancer in China. According to the characteristics of histopathology, lung cancer can be divided into non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, the vast majority of which are non-small cell lung cancer, accounting for about 80%-85% of all lung cancer, about 75% of patients at the time of discovery has been in the middle and late stage, 5 years survival rate is very low.
the common treatment methods of lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted treatment, immunotherapy
, etc.
so-called targeted therapy is targeted at the already clear cancer-causing points, the use of different targeted drugs to block the transmission of cancer cells, hinder the growth of cancer cells, its systemic side effects are small. If the patient is to be targeted, genetic testing is required to determine if there are relevant target gene changes.
"EGFR, ALK and other common targets have been one generation, two generations, three generations of targeted drugs 'three generations of the same', so that lung cancer patients whether first-line, second-line, or even third-line treatment has a corresponding drug can be selected, and constantly help patients extend their survival. Long Hao said: "There are currently different target lung cancer targeted drugs have been listed in the Mainland, according to the latest clinical studies show that EGFR-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with the first-line use of three generations of original targeted drugs reached a total survival of 38.6 months, more than three years." More and more lung cancer patients can live with cancer for a long time, lung cancer is gradually changing to slow disease. In
of innovative drugs, prices tend to be high due to research and development costs, patents and other factors. In the past impression of ordinary people, targeted drugs seem to become "noble medicine". In order to promote the access of innovative drugs, in recent years, the Mainland has been carrying out continuous negotiations on access to and renewal of the national health insurance catalogue.
The National List of Essential Medical Insurance, Industrial Injury Insurance and Maternity Insurance Drugs (2020), which will be officially implemented on March 1 this year, contains a total of 2,800 drugs, and in the field of oncology, more than 50 anti-tumor drugs are covered, including seven targeted drugs and two immunologic drugs related to lung cancer patients.
, mr. Long said, efficacy and price are two of the top concerns for lung cancer patients,
the survival benefits and quality of life have been greatly compromised by the fact that some lung cancer patients have had to give up the best treatment for financial reasons." The update of the new version of the medical insurance catalogue, more effective and accurate good drugs and the latest adaptive diseases into health insurance in a timely manner, so that China's advanced lung cancer patients can use innovative drugs and treatment programs in sync with the international synchronization at low prices, and even access to the authority at home and abroad guidelines unanimously recommended the first-line treatment of three generations of targeted drugs are also included in health insurance. We also look forward to more innovative drugs coming into health care in the future, benefiting more patients."