Biosimilars

Cornelis van Tilburg, ASCO 2019 – Larotrectinib in paediatric TRK fusion cancer

At the ASCO 2019 annual meeting, Cornelis van Tilburg discusses findings from recent studies investigating the efficacy and safety of larotrectinib in paediatric TRK fusion cancer patients (NCT02637687 and NCT02576431) and what this means for the future. Questions 1.What percentage of paediatric tumours have tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) fusions and in what tumour types are […]

The Impact of Biosimilars in Supportive Care in Cancer

European Oncology & Haematology. 2018;14(1):20–32 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2018.14.1.20

Biosimilars, which are copies of patent-expired large-molecule biologic drugs (Table 1),1–8 offer the same rationale as generic drugs. They can give patients, hospitals and healthcare systems the opportunity to expand patient access to care and offer potential budget savings to reinvest (Table 2).1,2,9 They are designed to be similar in effectiveness, safety and quality to […]

Potential Solutions for Sustaining the Costs of Cancer Drugs

European Oncology & Haematology, 2017;13(2):102–7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2017.13.02.102

Introduction With the growing burden of cancer, sustainable solutions are urgently required to ensure access to effective and safe treatments for all patients.1 Health expenditure on cancer in Europe more than doubled between 1995 and 2014, increasing from €35.7 billion to €83.2 billion;2 high-cost cancer drugs are the main drivers of this increase in many […]

What Happens when the Cost of Cancer Care Becomes Unsustainable?

European Oncology & Haematology, 2017;13(2):108–13 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2017.13.02.108

The estimated incidence of cancer increased by almost one third across Europe between 1995 and 2012, and this growth is predicted to continue.1,2 Compared with other diseases and disabilities, the lost years of life and productivity resulting from cancer represent a heavy drain on the global economy, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where the […]

Can we Continue to Afford Access to Cancer Treatment?

European Oncology & Haematology, 2017;13(2):114–9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2017.13.02.114

Innovation in healthcare is highly beneficial from a patient perspective; however, the introduction of new drugs, often at high cost, is placing increasing pressure on many healthcare systems.1 As a result, these systems are facing a growing crisis of affordability, both globally and locally, which is unsustainable. Oncology is the area of greatest concern. In […]

Biosimilars in Oncology

Oncology & Hematology Review, 2016;12(1):22–8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/OHR.2016.12.01.22

Cancer places a significant and growing burden on healthcare systems around the world; it is the second most common cause of death in the US and accounts for nearly one in four deaths.1 About 1,665,540 new cancer cases are expected in the US in 2014. While population growth and aging will increase the number of […]

Demonstration of Clinical Comparability of the Biosimilar Filgrastim to Neupogen, in Terms of Safety and Efficacy, in Healthy Volunteers and Patients Receiving Myelosuppressive Chemotherapy

European Oncology & Haematology, 2014;10(2):107–15 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2014.10.2.107

Development and Registration of Biosimilars Biopharmaceuticals can now be marketed when the relevant patents have expired: they are therefore a subset of biopharmaceuticals with comparable safety and efficacy to originator reference products, referred to as biosimilars. The main difference between approved biosimilars and the reference product is that biosimilars will be less expensive. It is […]

Late Complications of Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence

Oncology & Hematology Review, 2013;9(1):52–9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/OHR.2013.09.1.52

Since the 1960s, overall survival for all childhood cancers has substantially increased such that currently nearly 80 % of children will survive to five years following diagnosis, compared with 30 % 50 years ago. For most childhood cancers, survival at five years from therapy does not decrease significantly, and the vast majority of these children […]

The Use of Prophylactic Granulocyte-colony Stimulating Factor for Chemotherapy-induced Febrile Neutropenia

European Oncology & Haematology, 2012;8(1):14–9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17925/EOH.2012.08.01.14

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious and potentially fatal complication of cytotoxic cancer chemotherapy.1 In general, neutropenia severely impairs the immune system and places cancer patients at a high risk of developing major infections.2 Indeed, FN is a major contributor to chemotherapy-associated morbidity and mortality.3 Using data from a large US survey, a retrospective study […]