What is second-line treatment?

Second-line treatment in cancer care is a treatment prescribed if an initial medication isn't effective. Kristi Funk, MD, explains when second-line treatment is needed and how to make those decisions.

Transcript

00:00

Dr. Funk, I've heard the term, second line treatment. What does that mean?

00:09

Hi, thanks for asking. This is a good question. Second line treatment is a term used in cancer care.

00:15

It's a different treatment prescribed if an initial medication isn't effective. You can think of it as a backup plan.

00:22

What's called first line treatment is usually what worked best based on clinical studies. Done with people who have the same type of cancer as you,

00:30

but sometimes, first line treatment doesn't work at all or it could work for a little while and stop or cause serious side effects and complications.

00:39

In these cases, second line treatment is an option that your doctors think will be effective.

00:45

Of course, the thought of having to undergo second line treatment can be scary and overwhelming, but it doesn't mean that you were given the wrong medicine

00:53

the first time or you are getting a less effective drug now. It means your doctors think that this drug might

01:00

be able to help. Generally, the chances of success of second line treatment are lower than first line,

01:06

but that's not always the case. In fact, in some cancers, second line treatment works very well.

01:12

There are certain factors that can influence whether second line treatment is effective like the stage of the cancer, your age and overall health,

01:21

how effective the first line treatment was, and the side effects you experienced from your first line treatment.

01:27

Doctors also consider how long it's been since your first line treatment ended. In some cases, second line treatment

01:34

is more effective if a year or more has passed since your first treatment. Remember, you and your doctor are.

01:41

Together, you'll weigh your options to decide if second line treatment is the right choice for you. [MUSIC PLAYING]