A New Option For People With An Incurable Blood Cancer
Cancer is a disease that almost everyone will confront at some point in their lives, either personally or through a loved one. While some cancers may go into remission and don't return for long periods of time, others are ongoing, with patients finding themselves living with them as if they were a chronic illness. This is often the case with some types of blood cancers, such as lymphomas, including follicular lymphoma (FL).1 However, there is new hope as treatment advances give patients, and the doctors who treat them, new options to help fight this debilitating cancer.
Follicular lymphoma (FL) is a slow growing (indolent) and incurable blood cancer that starts in the lymphatic system, which is a system of lymph nodes found throughout the body, including the neck, underarms, chest, abdomen, and groin/pelvis.2 Of the estimated 74,000 individuals diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States each year,3 FL accounts for approximately 20% of all cases, or about 14,800 individuals.4 Patients often experience periods of remission before the disease returns (relapse), and they typically undergo treatment with numerous therapies during their journey with FL. In addition, many patients find their cancer has become resistant to treatments they've received before, leaving them with fewer options when their cancer returns.
Leading oncologist, [HCP name], sees many patients with FL at [his/her] practice at [institution], and in today's climate, evaluates and treats many of them virtually. "I see first-hand how devastating it can be for patients and their families when treatment stops working, and when they face relapse. Given that many FL patients tend to be older, they wonder what is next as they weigh the potential benefit and risk of undergoing yet another round of treatment and managing side effects. Despite recent product approvals for these patients, there still remains an unmet need for new FDA approved therapies that can elicit an overall response with fewer potential side effects."
Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved TAZVERIK™ (tazemetostat) to treat patients with follicular lymphoma when the disease comes back or becomes worse after receiving at least two prior medicines.5 The approval of TAZVERIK in these patients is based on a study that measured the percentage of patients whose tumor shrank or disappeared after treatment and how long that response lasted. TAZVERIK is still being studied to confirm these benefits.5
"TAZVERIK is a new type of therapy that works differently from other cancer treatments. It is an oral medicine designed to target and block EZH2, a protein that helps regulate the development of white blood cells, called B cells, which is where follicular lymphoma occurs. I'm excited to be able to offer this new treatment option to patients living with relapsed/refractory FL," said [HCP name]. "Today as our healthcare practices are continuing to limit in-person visits and to offer virtual appointments to protect our immune-compromised patients, I'm encouraged that there is a new therapeutic option that can be taken orally in patients' homes."
While FL can occur at any age, it is most frequently diagnosed among people aged 55-64, with a median age of 63 at diagnosis.3 On average, 88% of patients diagnosed with FL survive for at least five years after diagnosis,6 and while the median overall survival is 13-14 years from diagnosis, which is longer than that of other cancers, FL remains incurable.7,8 Many patients are asymptomatic at diagnosis, but common symptoms may include painless, swollen lymph nodes, abdominal or chest pain, persistent fatigue, and fever, night sweats or unexplained weight loss.9
Because FL is an incurable disease, it is critical for patients to work closely with their doctor to develop a treatment plan that considers where they are in life, with respect to their age, profession and lifestyle.
For more information about follicular lymphoma, talk to your doctor today. For more information on TAZVERIK, including full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide, please visit the TAZVERIK site (link below).
Indication
What is TAZVERIK?
TAZVERIK is a prescription medicine used to treat patients with follicular lymphoma when the disease comes back or becomes worse after receiving at least 2 prior medicines. FL is a type of cancer of white blood cells called B-cell lymphocytes that are found in the lymph nodes and spleen.
The approval of TAZVERIK in these patients is based on a study that measured the percentage of patients whose tumor shrank or disappeared after treatment and how long that response lasted. TAZVERIK is still being studied to confirm these benefits.
It is not known if TAZVERIK is safe and effective in children less than 16 years of age.
Important Safety Information
What is the most important information I should know about TAZVERIK?
TAZVERIK can cause serious side effects, including:
- Risk of new cancers. An increase in new (second) cancers has happened in people who were treated with TAZVERIK. Talk with your healthcare provider about your risk of developing new cancers. Tell your healthcare provider if you are more tired than usual, or have easy bruising, fever, bone pain, or paleness.
Before taking TAZVERIK tell your healthcare provider about all of your medical conditions, including if:
- You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. TAZVERIK can harm your unborn baby. Your healthcare provider will give you a pregnancy test before you start treatment with TAZVERIK. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
- Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective non-hormonal birth control (such as condoms) during treatment and for 6 months after the final dose of TAZVERIK. Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) and other hormonal forms of birth control may not be effective if used during treatment with TAZVERIK. Talk to your healthcare provider about birth control options that are right for you.
- Males with female partners who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control during treatment and for 3 months after the final dose of TAZVERIK.
- You are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if TAZVERIK passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment and for 1 week after the final dose of TAZVERIK.
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. TAZVERIK may affect the way other medicines work and other medicines may affect how TAZVERIK works.
What should I avoid while taking TAZVERIK?
- Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice during treatment with TAZVERIK.
- Avoid taking St. John's wort during treatment with TAZVERIK.
Talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new medications or supplements.
What are the possible side effects of TAZVERIK?
The most common side effects of TAZVERIK include:
- Pain
- Tiredness
- Nausea
- Decreased appetite
- Vomiting
- Constipation
These are not all the possible side effects of TAZVERIK.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see full Prescribing Information for TAZVERIK and Medication Guide, available at www.tazverik.com.
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1 Managing Cancer as a Chronic Illness. American Cancer Society. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/when-cancer-doesnt-go-away.html
2 Lymphoma- Non-Hodgkin: Introduction. Cancer.Net. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available at: https:// www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/introduction
3 About Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. American Cancer Society. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available at: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/non-hodgkin-lymphoma/about.html.
4 Lymphoma- Non-Hodgkin: Introduction. Cancer.Net. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available at: https:// www.cancer.net/cancer-types/lymphoma-non-hodgkin/introduction
5 TAZVERIK™ (tazemetostat) Prescribing Information. Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA: Epizyme, Inc; XXXXX 2020.
6 Cancer Stat Facts: NHL – Follicular Lymphoma. National Cancer Institute, SEER. Available at: https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/follicular.html
7 Tan D, et al. Improvements in observed and relative survival in follicular grade 1-2 lymphoma during 4 decades: the Stanford University experience. Blood. 2013;122(6):981-987. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-03-491514.
8 Liu Q, et al. Improvement and Failure-Free Survival in Stage IV Follicular Lymphoma: 25 years of treatment experience at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. J Clin Oncol. 2006:24(10):1582-9. doi: 10:1200/JCO.2005.03.3696.
9 Lymphoma. Mayo Clinic. Accessed May 27, 2020. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lymphoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20352638