Daily breast cancer bill that could add years to your life in what is being hailed as the biggest advance against the disease in 20 years
- Palbociclib targets weaknesses within cancer cells stopping them dividing
- Women taking the drug have seen the disease stop progressing for six months
- Some of those on a clinical trial have seen the cancer stop for several years
- Doctors say the drug can delay the need for some women’s chemotherapy
Women with advanced breast cancer could be given precious extra months or even years of health after NHS chiefs approved a breakthrough daily drug.
Hailed by doctors as one of the biggest advances in breast cancer treatment in 20 years, the pill has far fewer side effects than other treatments. It is used to treat women with oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer – the most common form of the disease, which accounts for more than 60 per cent of cases.
Palbociclib, also known as Ibrance, targets weaknesses in cancer to stop cells dividing and spreading – delaying the need for chemotherapy.
Palbociclib, also known as Ibrance, targets weaknesses in cancer to stop cells dividing and spreading – delaying the need for chemotherapy
A major trial has shown that giving palbociclib in combination with the hormone therapy medication fulvestrant to this group of women extends the time before their disease progresses by 6.6 months on average, compared to hormone therapy alone
Previously, it was only available to women whose cancer had spread before they had received hormone therapy – a treatment relied upon by many to stop the disease coming back. Now, following a decision by the NHS drug regulator the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence even those who have had hormone therapy will be eligible. As a result, about 3,200 more women in England will have immediate access to the drug.
A major trial has shown that giving palbociclib in combination with the hormone therapy medication fulvestrant to this group of women extends the time before their disease progresses by 6.6 months on average, compared to hormone therapy alone.
Some women have now been taking the drug for several years, without their cancer progressing. Professor Nicholas Turner of The Institute of Cancer Research in London says: ‘In a subset of patients, these drugs work for a very long time. We have one patient who has been on the treatment for five years.’
Scientists also believe they have identified a new test that could help spot which patients are likely to respond to treatment for longer.
A study at The Institute of Cancer Research found combining palbociclib and hormone treatment delayed the need for chemotherapy in all women for at least three months.
Those with low levels of a molecule called cyclin E1 in their tumours appear to respond to the drug for nearly twice as long, according to findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In a trial, patients with low levels of cyclin E1 responded for an average of 14.1 months before their tumour grew again. Women with high levels responded for 7.6 months.
Christine O’Connell, 47, from London, is on her 22nd cycle of palbociclib. Diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 40, the business consultant underwent nine months of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiotherapy. For five years she took tamoxifen, a hormone therapy drug, and seemed free of cancer – until February last year when doctors discovered her cancer had come back.
After surgery to remove the tumours, and radiotherapy, she started on palbociclib. Christine takes it every day for three weeks alongside hormone therapy, before a week-long break. She has no sign of active disease and the keen cyclist is well enough to ride up to 300km a week.
Two drugs called abemaciclib and ribociclib, which work in a similar way to palbociclib, are already available in combination with fulvestrant for this group of patients.
lFor more information, visit icr.ac.uk/letsfinishcancer
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