BMS Strengthens Its Commitment to Compassionate Science and Patient Well-Being – Mundodehoy.com
Oncology.mx.-With the help of more than 100 oncologists from Mexico, the biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) carried out in Mérida, Yucatan, Synergism 2022event whose goal was to inform the medical community about the use of innovative drugs and therapeutic regimens for various types of cancer that affect Mexicans, including renal, gastrointestinal, lung tumors and melanoma.
The Dr. Miguel Sierra Miranda, Medical Manager of Immuno-Oncology at BMS, emphasized that it was attended by prominent opinion leaders in the field from Latin America and Europe who, through lectures and review of clinical cases, shared advances in the approach to newly diagnosed people in need of adjuvant. therapy; i.e. after primary treatment and in cases where it has progressed or spread to other parts of the body (metastases).
He mentioned that in In the last decade, knowledge about the immune system, the biological processes of cancer, and advances in pharmaceutical research have allowed the development of so-called immune checkpoint inhibitors., which represent a paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with solid tumors. “Its function is to use the power of our body’s defense system to destroy cancer cells. Thanks to this, today it is possible for example that many melanoma patients, even with advanced/metastatic disease, are still alive after 10 years”.
He explained that to increase the possibilities offered by these innovative drugs, researchers are studying their alliance with other immune control inhibitors, surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. However, he specified: “It is critical for clinicians to understand the relationship of the immune system to the tumor, why some respond better to one therapy than another and how to get longer-lasting responses.
In this sense, he emphasized that the main emphasis of Synergism 2022 was to promote the education of oncologists so that they can, together with their patients, make the best decisions based on scientific evidence to ensure that they benefit from the right treatment at the right time.
Dr. Sierra Miranda commented that during the sessions there were high-level professionals who spoke about the role that dual immunotherapy plus chemotherapy plays today as a first-line treatment for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most – the common form of lung cancer and whose main risk factor is smoking. Unfortunately, these types of tumors are common late diagnosed; therefore, its treatment focuses mainly on advanced or metastatic stages.
He indicated that this therapeutic regimen has shown clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival (period that passes from the start of treatment to the last follow-up) and in progression-free survival (time during which the condition does not worsen after treatment).
“With a complex disease like lung cancer, which is right now affects more than 7 thousand Mexicans, Having a variety of treatment options is crucial for patients facing a difficult prognosis, therefore access to innovative medicines is critical to improving their health outcomes,” added the BMS specialist.
In the last decade, development of immune checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized the treatment of patients with late-stage renal cell carcinoma and melanoma; the last, the most dangerous type of skin cancer and from which more than 700 Mexicans die each year.
In this regard, Sierra Miranda had this to say Synergism 2022 there was a module led by specialists who explained the relevance of adjuvant immunotherapy treatment in early stages in high-risk patients, aiming to increase survival, reduce relapses (events where the cancer returns after treatment) and eliminate micrometastases (a small number of cancer cells that have spread).
He also revealed that there several open lines of research in this area with various highly effective immunotherapeutic combinations and that they could change the way melanoma is treated in the future, especially in advanced stages with or without mutations in a specific gene called BRAF, which occurs in 50% of cases; or in inoperable metastatic tumors by inhibiting LAG-3 and PD-1 proteins that prevent the immune system from mounting an energetic response against cancer cells.
By your side Osvaldo Bernal Carmona The General Manager of BMS Mexico recognizes the important work done by doctors through timely actions for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, helping patients to overcome serious diseases like these. “The positively impacted lives of them and their families during these 76 years of continuous presence in Mexico and 134 worldwide would not have been possible without you.”
He explained that in order for medical education to have an adequate impact and meet the set goals, it must be recognized. Therefore, he emphasized that the event has the approval of Mexican Council of Oncology, ACwith nine recertification points that support professionals’ efforts.
Finally, he added that as a leader in biotechnology, “BMS has a history of scientific excellence, such as a pioneer in the development of immune checkpoints which have been a watershed in helping to change cancer health outcomes. We never give up on the search for the next innovation that brings new hope to those who urgently need new treatment options. We are confident that together we will remain committed to compassionate science and put people’s well-being first.”
DZ
