The NHS will introduce a new treatment option for advanced bladder cancer that has shown to double survival time for patients.
An estimated 1,250 individuals per year could potentially benefit from a combination of medications known as enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab.
Enfortumab vedotin, also called Padcev, is an antibody-drug developed by Astellas and Pfizer, while pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, is a PD-L1 inhibitor manufactured by Merck.
Clinical trials have indicated that this combination treatment leads to significantly improved survival rates when compared to traditional platinum-based chemotherapy, with survival time increasing from an average of approximately 16 months to nearly 34 months.
Additionally, researchers observed that patients experienced longer periods without disease progression, known as progression-free survival, which extended from six months to over a year.
This new approach represents a substantial advancement in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer, marking the first significant change since the 1980s, as noted by Professor Thomas Powels, the director of Barts Cancer Institute Biomedical Research Centre (QMUL).
It is worth mentioning that around 18,000 individuals in England receive a bladder cancer diagnosis annually.
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The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has approved the use of this new treatment within the NHS, describing it as «highly promising» and potentially transformative for patients.
A participant in the clinical trial shared his experience, expressing gratitude for the additional time he was able to spend with his grandson.
75-year-old Martyn Hewett from Stratford, east London, reflected, «I feel incredibly fortunate because without this trial, I believe I might not be here today.»
«Having a few extra years to watch my grandson grow up and possibly witness his wedding is truly remarkable,» he added.