Atezolizumab
Atezolizumab works by binding to the protein PD-L1 on the surface of some cancer cells, which keeps cancer cells from suppressing the immune system. This allows the immune system to attack and kill the cancer cells. Atezolizumab is a type of immunotherapy drug called an immune checkpoint inhibitor.
FDA label information for this drug is available at DailyMed.
Use in Cancer
Atezolizumab is approved to be used alone or with other drugs to treat:
- Alveolar soft part sarcoma that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery. Atezolizumab is used alone in adults and children aged 2 years and older.
- Hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer) that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery. Atezolizumab is used with bevacizumab in adults who have not received systemic therapy.
- Melanoma that has a certain mutation in the BRAF gene. Atezolizumab is used with cobimetinib fumarate and vemurafenib in adults whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery.
- Muscle–invasive bladder cancer. It is used after surgery in adults who still have tumor DNA in their blood.
- Non-small cell lung cancer. Atezolizumab is used:
- alone after surgery and platinum chemotherapy in adults with stage IIA, stage IIB, or stage IIIA cancer that has the PD-L1 protein
- alone as the first treatment in adults whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body, has the PD-L1 protein, and does not have a mutation in the EGFR gene or the ALK gene
- with bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin or paclitaxel albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation and carboplatin as the first treatment in adults with non-squamous cancer that does not have a mutation in the EGFR gene or ALK gene that has spread to other parts of the body
- alone in adults whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body and got worse during or after treatment with platinum chemotherapy
- Small cell lung cancer that is extensive stage. Atezolizumab is used in adults with:
- carboplatin and etoposide phosphate as the first treatment
- lurbinectedin as maintenance therapy in patients whose cancer got worse after carboplatin, etoposide, and atezolizumab with or without hyaluronidase given as the first treatment
Atezolizumab is given by infusion. It is available in a different form, combined with hyaluronidase, that is given subcutaneously. For more information, see the Drug Information Summary for Atezolizumab and Hyaluronidase-tqjs.
Atezolizumab is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer.
More About Atezolizumab
Definition from the NCI Drug Dictionary - Detailed scientific definition and other names for this drug.
MedlinePlus Information on Atezolizumab - A lay language summary of important information about this drug.
Research Results and Related Resources
Trial Results Confirm Effectiveness of Atezolizumab Against a Rare Sarcoma
Targeted Therapy to Treat Cancer
Cancer Immunotherapies Don’t Work for Everyone: HLA Gene May Explain Why
Clinical Trials Accepting Patients
Find Clinical Trials for Atezolizumab - Check for trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials now accepting patients.