Here are some frequently asked questions that patients may have about advanced BCC and treatment with LIBTAYO. Remember that this information is not meant to take the place of talking to your doctor. Your doctor is the best source of information about your condition.
BCC is considered advanced when it has grown wide and deep into the skin; or has spread or cannot be cured by surgery or radiation after multiple treatments.
The stages are based on the size of the tumor, how deeply into the skin it has grown, and whether cancer has spread beyond the tumor to the lymph nodes. Your doctor will look at the results of the biopsy to determine the stage. If you have basal cell skin cancer, your doctor may also recommend imaging such as a computed tomography (CT) or a combined positron-emission tomography (PET)-CT scan, or testing lymph nodes near the tumor to see if the cancer has spread beyond the skin.
Stage 0: Cancer that is located in the place it started and has not spread to nearby tissues.
Stage I: This stage is usually a small cancer or tumor that has not grown deeply into nearby tissues. It also has not spread to the lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Stage II and Stage III: In general, these 2 stages indicate larger cancers or tumors that have grown more deeply into nearby tissue. They may have also spread to lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body. It also may be called locally advanced.
Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other organs or parts of the body. It also may be called metastatic cancer.
LIBTAYO is not a chemotherapy or radiation therapy. LIBTAYO is a type of immunotherapy treatment called a programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitor.
Learn more about howImmunotherapy is a form of systemic drug therapy (a type of drug that moves throughout the body) that may help your immune system fight cancer. Your body might not attack cancer cells that have developed ways to avoid the immune system. Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize, attack, and kill the cancer cells. This treatment is given by an oncologist. LIBTAYO can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of the body and can affect the way they work.
Learn more about howLIBTAYO is a medicine that may treat certain types of cancers by working with your immune system. LIBTAYO can cause your immune system to attack normal organs and tissues in any area of your body and can affect the way they work. These problems can sometimes become severe or life-threatening and can lead to death. You can have more than one problem at the same time. These problems may happen anytime during treatment or even after your treatment has ended.
See more important safetyLIBTAYO can cause serious side effects.
The most common side effects of LIBTAYO include tiredness, muscle or bone pain, rash, diarrhea, and low levels of red blood cells (anemia). These are not all the possible side effects of LIBTAYO. Click here and make sure to read all of the important information about LIBTAYO.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
See the most importantBefore you receive LIBTAYO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
See the most importantEvery person is different and not everyone will respond to LIBTAYO the same way. LIBTAYO may not work for some people with advanced BCC. If you have any questions about treatment with LIBTAYO, talk to your doctor.
LIBTAYO Surround offers patient support that may help with access to medication, including financial support when eligible patients need assistance with out-of-pocket costs.
LIBTAYO is covered by most major insurers, and LIBTAYO Surround may help you access LIBTAYO and navigate the health insurance process.