Over 1,000 English patients with late-stage bladder cancer will have access to a new combination therapy soon, which has been found to dramatically improve survival. The NHS stated on Thursday that enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab is approved, one of the most exciting developments in bladder cancer in decades.
Every year, approximately 18,000 individuals are diagnosed with bladder cancer in England, and stage 4 cases are notoriously recalcitrant to therapy. Traditionally, fewer than 10% of patients with advanced disease live for five years or more. On clinical trials of the new treatment, it has been demonstrated that patients survived up to twice as long as with standard chemotherapy. Almost 30% of the patients who were given combination therapy did not have detectable cancer after treatment, as opposed to a mere 12.5% for those on conventional chemotherapy.
The therapy employs a two-pronged attack against the disease. Enfortumab vedotin kills cancer cells and attacks them directly, while pembrolizumab, the immunotherapy medication, enables the immune system to identify and eliminate any cancer cells that remain. The national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, Prof Peter Johnson, said the treatment was a "huge step forward" which had the potential to significantly enhance the chances of recovery for patients and families.
Survival for metastatic bladder cancer has traditionally been slightly more than a year, but the new treatment can prolong survival by over 12 months. The fact that it can also minimize side effects and enhance quality of life gives it a significant edge over current treatments.
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The news has been greeted by cancer patients and campaigning groups. Jeannie Rigby, the chief executive of Action Bladder Cancer UK, noted the significance of the new treatment, stating it "offers hope where options were previously limited" and could enable patients to live longer with a good quality of life.
Approximately 1,250 patients in England are likely to gain from the rollout. NHS leaders point out that this treatment is a major breakthrough in cancer treatment, providing hope to individuals with one of the UK's toughest cancers.
