New chemo drug for prostate cancer available in Singapore

March 1, 2012

SINGAPORE – A new chemotherapy drug for men suffering from advanced prostate cancer is now available in Singapore.

The drug, Jevtana, is the first to be approved for such treatment by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Clinical tests showed the drug extended a patient’s survival by some two-and-a-half months compared to other treatments available.

Clinical trials for the drug were conducted across 23 countries.

Overall late-stage prostate cancer patients on the drug launched by pharmaceutical firm Sanofi will cut their risk of dying by 30 per cent as compared to other available treatments.

Prostate cancer is the third most common cancer among Singaporean men.

Singaporean men have a one in 37 chance of developing prostate cancer.

And 10 to 20 per cent of patients are only diagnosed when the cancer has already spread.

But these late-stage patients can now enjoy a better quality of life with the new drug.

Dr Amit Bahl, clinical director and research lead from University Hospitals Bristol, UK’s Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre, said: “The results show significant improvement in the quality of life of these patients, and that was not just quality of life on pain criteria, it was quality of life on anxiety, depression, their ability to engage socially and their confidence in life as well.

“And there was doubling in the pain control that they got from this chemotherapy, compared to pain control prior to the chemotherapy.

“I’ve had patients who’ve gone back to playing golf, going on holidays and even playing with their grandchildren which they previously could not do.

“The main problem that the patient suffers is bone pain. There may be spread of disease to the spine, which may then cause problems with the nerve conduction, and therefore, they may lose the power of the legs, and they may become wheelchair or bed bound because of that.

“So these are the things which hopefully, by treating them with Jevtana, we could delay significantly for a long period of time for this group of patients.”

Source: Channel News Asia

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