Women in England to be offered new cervical cancer drug

Women in England with incurable cervical cancer are to be offered a new life-extending treatment on the NHS, officials have announced.

Pembrolizumab, the first new addition to NHS treatment for incurable cervical cancer for 14 years, could mean extra months of life for those with incurable tumours.

The drug is already offered by the NHS for the treatment of several other cancers, including breast, bowel, lung, and skin, and it has now been given the green light by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for certain patients with cervical cancer.

Given in combination with standard chemotherapy, the injected drug works by stimulating the body’s immune system to fight the cancer cells, targeting and blocking a specific protein on the surface of certain immune cells which then seek out and destroy the cancerous cells.

Current data suggests that adding pembrolizumab to standard chemotherapy can help extend patients’ lives by as much as eight months on average.

Over the next three years around 400 people are expected to benefit from the treatment covered by the Cancer Drugs Fund.

“After nearly 15 years without a new treatment for this type of advanced cervical cancer, this first immunotherapy marks a significant step forward that will provide hundreds of people with precious time with their loved ones,” said NHS England’s director of specialised commissioning and interim commercial medicines director, John Stewart.

Cervical cancer, mainly caused by an infection with certain high-risk types of human papillomavirus, is most-commonly diagnosed between the ages of 30 and 34.

Around 2,600 women in England are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, leading to approximately 690 people deaths.

Samantha Dixon, CEO of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “Today’s announcement that pembrolizumab will be available in England through the Cancer Drugs Fund is fantastic news.

“Treatments are far too limited for those living with advanced cervical cancer and this provides patients with valuable options, hope and most importantly time.

“Cervical cancer affects women of all ages, many are young. They have families, children, jobs, caring responsibilities.

“Pembrolizumab can slow the progression of cervical cancer and the impact of this on those who are eligible for the treatment cannot be understated.”

NHS national director for cancer, Dame Cally Palmer, added: “Making this life-extending drug available today is a significant moment for women with advanced cervical cancer, which disproportionately affects younger women, allowing them to spend more precious time with loved ones and enjoy a better and longer quality of life.

“This is just another example of NHS England using its commercial capabilities to deliver on the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to provide patients with the latest cutting-edge treatments for cancer.”