Atezolizumab (Intravenous)

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 5, 2022.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

• Tecentriq

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antineoplastic Agent

Pharmacologic Class: Monoclonal Antibody

Uses for atezolizumab

Atezolizumab injection is used to treat urothelial carcinoma (a type of bladder cancer) that has spread throughout the body (metastatic) or cannot be removed by surgery (advanced). Atezolizumab is given to patients who cannot receive cancer medicines containing cisplatin and whose cancer has high levels of a specific protein called programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) or to patients with or without PD-L1- expressing cancers who cannot receive cancer medicines containing platinum.

Atezolizumab injection is used alone to help prevent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from coming back in patients whose tumor has been removed by surgery and who have received other cancer medicines (eg, platinum). It is given to patients who have stage 2 to stage 3A NSCLC and whose tumors express PD-L1. Your doctor will perform a test to check for the PD-L1 tumor before you receive atezolizumab.

Atezolizumab injection is also used alone as first-line treatment for metastatic (cancer that has already spread) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in patients whose tumors express high PD-L1 and do not have an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene. Your doctor will perform a test to check for the PD-L1 tumor before you receive atezolizumab. It is used together with other cancer medicines (eg, bevacizumab, paclitaxel, and carboplatin combination, or paclitaxel protein-bound and carboplatin combination) as first-line treatment to metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer in patients whose tumor does not have an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene. It is also used to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with or without an EGFR or ALK gene in patients who have tried treatment for EGFR or ALK tumors and received cancer medicines containing platinum that did not work well.

Atezolizumab injection is also used together with carboplatin and etoposide as first-line treatment for extensive-stage (cancer that has spread) small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC).

Atezolizumab injection is also used together with bevacizumab to treat a type of liver cancer called hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that has spread throughout the body (metastatic) or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable) in patients who have not received other cancer medicines by mouth or injection.

Atezolizumab injection is also used together with cobimetinib and vemurafenib to treat melanoma (a type of skin cancer) that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery. It is used in patients whose skin cancer have the abnormal gene. Your doctor will perform a test to check for this gene before you receive atezolizumab.

Atezolizumab is to be given only by or under the supervision of your doctor.

Before using atezolizumab

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For atezolizumab, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to atezolizumab or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if yo...