The US announced a successful trial of blood cancer drugs

On March 9, Dr. Richard Silver, a hematologist and oncologist at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, announced that they have succeeded in making cancer medicine. blood.

These studies have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, after testing 1,100 patients. Dr Silver said: "For the first time, it applies to people who have been used almost successfully."

With taking a Gleeve tablet every day, it will help blood cancer patients face the death penalty. Currently, the data show that it has helped 83% of patients survive for at least 10 years, although it is inevitable that the side effects of rash, vomiting and fatigue are inevitable.

Drug Gleevec.

Gleevec blood cancer medicine

Before Gleece appeared, patients with leukemia had only three choices: chemotherapy, bone marrow transplantation or waiting for death. Even during treatment, patients rarely live longer than three years. Dr Silver said: "When you have leukemia, you have a death certificate."

Miraculously, Gleevec tablets are so effective and quick that patients can stop chemotherapy and only take medication.

The US Food and Drug Administration quickly licensed this drug. Currently the American Cancer Society estimates that about 36,000 to 100,000 blood cancer patients will be saved by Gleevec.

Dr. Reshma Shah, a patient with leukemia is one of the first people to test Gleevec. In 2000, he was diagnosed with blood cancer and the doctor said he could only live for 6 months to 3 years. Mr. Shah learned of Dr. Silver's research and volunteered to be a tester.

By taking one tablet a day, he survived for 17 years. Now, researchers say, more than 83% of patients with leukemia have taken this medicine regularly and alive.

Shah said, only after taking the medicine for 2 months, he saw his health return to normal. He can play golf weekly and go to charity. Dr. Silver said: "He should have died. It is unbelievable."

Mr. Shah lived for 17 years after being treated for Gleevec.

In Europe, doctors are beginning to recommend that patients should take this medicine for a year and longer should stop taking it. Druker and colleagues believe that about 10% of patients taking Gleevec will be safe if they stop taking the drug and 40% or more will react to the drug.

So far, Gleevec has appeared on the market for more than 15 years, but the price is still quite expensive, the amount of medicine a patient treated in a year costs about 140,000 USD. Thankfully, Mr. Shah is covered largely by health insurance. He said: "He himself has to spend from 8,000 to 10,000 USD. If there is no insurance, I will have to pay 20,000 USD per month."

Gleevec drug prices produced in the US over the past 10 years have not decreased significantly. The price in 2001 was US $ 26,000 and has now decreased from 10% to 20%.

However, at present, an Indian company has produced this drug for super cheap price, only about 400 USD / year. Canada has also produced this drug at a cheaper price in the US, about $ 8,800 a year.