Can Temozolomide shrink tumors?

Temozolomide, used as standard treatment for patients, reduces tumor burden by directly killing proliferating tumor cells. The drug may also induce mutations in surviving tumor cells and eradicate some proliferating immune cells, which may limit the effectiveness of current immunotherapy strategies. Clinical and preclinical studies have been conducted to determine whether altering the dosage and timing strategies of temozolomide can establish a balance between tumor and immune cell killing.

Temozolomide can shrink tumors to a certain extent, but its efficacy depends on multiple factors, including the type of tumor, the patient's overall health, and the treatment plan. In clinical application, doctors will consider the specific situation comprehensively and combine it with other treatment methods, such as surgery, radiotherapy, etc., to formulate the most appropriate treatment plan. The survival rate for glioblastoma (GBM) under current aggressive treatment standards is approximately 2 years. While other tumors, such as melanoma and breast cancer, have responded well to trials of combination immunotherapy and chemotherapy, brain tumors remain uniformly lethal, with only modest increases in overall survival. But temozolomide is not suitable for all tumor types, and different individuals may respond differently to the drug.

The original drug of temozolomide has been launched in China and has entered the scope of Class B medical insurance. The price of a common specification of 100mg*1 pill*5 bags per box may be around 2,000 yuan. The generic drugs of temozolomide sold overseas are less expensive, and their pharmaceutical ingredients are basically the same as those of the original drug of temozolomide. For example, the price of a box of 100mg*5 produced by a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical factory may be around a few hundred yuan (the price may fluctuate due to exchange rates).