Saudi Ministry of Health makes an important statement to cancer patients

The Saudi Ministry of Health on Thursday issued an important statement to the kingdom's cancer patients about the drug "Vitrakvi".

Vitrakvi, the commercial name of Larotrectinib, does not completely cure cancer, and has recently circulated in the media and networking sites, the ministry said.

She added that the drug was intended to control cancer growth and spread for as long as possible and could not replace surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

The new study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and includes 55 patients with the TRK gene mutation, with total response rates of 13% and partial 62%.

The study showed that the response did not last long in all patients, as the disease had developed in some participants and continued to respond in 39% of patients after the first year of treatment and in some patients. patients who have undergone surgery after treatment.

This new treatment has recently been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of specific cancer cases with a specific type of rare genetic mutations (TRK gene). This rare finding is found in some tumors, such as cancer of the glands of the salivary glands. Just as the treatment of cases containing a genetic mutation does not tolerate surgery and cases containing a genetic mutation, there is no suitable alternative to treatment and cases developed after the treatment to be planned.

Source: Saudi newspaper "Riyadh"