Thousands of women in England with breast cancer have to take advantage of a new NHS pill that reduces the risk of relapse.
The National Institute of Excellence in Health and Care (Nice) has given the green light to abemacyclib, which reduces the chance of breast cancer coming back after surgery to remove the tumor.
Studies show that patients who have taken the drug with hormone therapy have more than a 30% better chance of their cancer not coming back after surgery than with hormone therapy alone.
“It’s fantastic that thousands of women with this type of primary breast cancer will now have an additional treatment option at the NHS to help further reduce the risk of relapse,” said Delit Morgan, chief executive of the charity. Breast cancer now.
“The fear of recurrence or spread of breast cancer to other parts of their body and incurable can be a major concern for so many women and their loved ones.
“New effective treatments such as abemacyclib, which can offer more women a chance to further reduce the risk of disease recurrence, are extremely welcome and are an important step in changing the drugs available to this group of patients.
The twice-daily pill is suitable for women with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative, early breast cancer at high risk of recurrence who have undergone surgery. About 4,000 women will initially benefit, Nice said.
Helen Knight, interim director of drug evaluation in Nice, said the draft recommendation came less than a month after Abemacyclib received its license.
“The fact that we were able to draft recommendations so quickly is proof of the success of our ambition to support patients’ access to clinical and cost-effective treatment as early as possible,” Knight said. “So far, there have been no targeted treatments for people with this type of breast cancer.
“Abemaciclib with hormone therapy represents a significant improvement in treatment, as the possibility of targeted treatment earlier after surgery will increase the chance of curing the disease and reduce the likelihood of developing incurable advanced disease.”
Abemaciclib works by targeting and inhibiting proteins in cancer cells that allow the cancer to divide and grow. It usually costs £ 2,950 for a pack of 56 150 mg tablets, but manufacturer Eli Lilly has agreed to an undisclosed discounted price for NHS England.
“Thanks in part to the latest deal from the NHS in England, NHS patients will be able to access another new targeted drug for common and aggressive breast cancer,” said Professor Peter Johnson, director of NHS cancer. England.
Abemaciclib, when used in combination with hormone therapy, offers a new, dual-targeted treatment option that helps increase the chances of finally overcoming cancer, as well as meeting the NHS’s commitment to providing improved cancer care according to our long-term plan ”
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