New Cancer Treatment Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) to be Introduced in Norway on April 15 – Faster and More Efficient Treatment Option

Earlier in March gave

The decision-making forum decides which new treatment methods and drugs the specialist health service in Norway can use.

“/> said yes to introducing a new cancer treatment – which comes into force in Norway on Monday 15 April.

The drug, Atezolizumab (Tecentriq), has been around for some time already, but then with intravenous treatment. The drug is used in the treatment of, among other things, lung, breast, liver and bladder cancer. The drug is known as a checkpoint inhibitorand works by helping the immune system find and kill cancer cells.

The company Roche is behind the marketing of the drug in Norway.

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Effective cancer treatment

Now the treatment can be given with a syringe, which can drastically reduce the treatment time for patients.

– This way of providing the treatment will be able to free up time for patients and for the health service. The processing time will be significantly reduced.

That’s what Åslaug Helland says to Nettavisen. She is a Norwegian cancer researcher, expert in lung cancer, specialist in oncology at Oslo University Hospital and professor at the University of Oslo.

Helland explains that this drug has been in use for a few years, and can be an effective treatment for cancer patients.

– The new thing now is that the treatment can be given as one

Subcutaneous injection is an injection into the tissue under the skin, i.e. the subcutaneous tissue.

“/> syringe instead of an intravenous infusion. This means that instead of putting the medicine into a vein, you can put a syringe in the skin.

Patients report less discomfort

Åslaug is clear that this is a milestone, and that we will probably get more such drugs that can be given into the skin in the time to come.

– It is good for the patients, and it will improve the capacity of the hospitals. Sometimes the treatment has to be combined with chemotherapy or other medicines, and the patient has to get something anyway

Intravenous is something that goes into or is inside a vein. The word is used in particular for intravenous injection, that is, the injection of liquids such as salt water, sugar solution, blood and medicines into the blood vessels.

“/>, but this is an important step forward, she tells Nettavisen.

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England was the first to approve the form of treatment, and in 2023 there were approximately 3,600 patients who received the injection treatment in the country.

– As far as I know, there are good experiences with this. The patients have reported less discomfort with the treatment, which also takes less time.

Believes this can relieve healthcare personnel

At the Cancer Association too, there is great rejoicing over the new form of treatment which is now coming into effect.

Secretary General of the Cancer Society, Ingrid Stenstadvold Ross, tells Nettavisen that they are very positive that it now seems possible to give immunotherapy in the form of injections under the skin.

– This will mean that the treatment goes faster, the patients save time, and it relieves a pressured healthcare system. The fact that the healthcare system can work more efficiently will lead to shorter waiting times. For a long time, the Cancer Society has been concerned that none of the regional health organizations are able to provide treatment within the recommended time.

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Ross says that patients will save time by treating themselves, and this can also lead to less waiting time.

– In addition, healthcare personnel will have more time for other tasks.

Ross is also clear that the Norwegian Cancer Society is very positive about new and alternative forms of cancer treatment, and that this is an important step on the way forward to make everyday life easier for patients and healthcare personnel.

– At a time with an extremely pressured health service, we need more research and innovation to make cancer treatment more efficient and better. This is clearly an example of progress that will make everyday life easier for both patients and healthcare personnel.