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Health:
‘GAME CHANGING’
New lung cancer
drug available
LUNG cancer patients are to be offered The therapy differs from ‘blanket’ Medicines Scheme which bypasses red is just one of many drugs that will be
a ‘game-changing’ treatment that treatments such as chemotherapy tape that can last up to a decade. made available.’
trains the body to single out and attack and radiotherapy which kill all cells Manufacturers submit data on new
diseased cells. including healthy ones. drugs to experts at the Medicines A trial involving 272 patients found 42
It is being made available under a This means there are fewer debilitating and Healthcare Products Regulatory per cent taking nivolumab were alive a
Government policy that enables life- side effects such as fatigue, sickness, Agency for assessment. If the watchdog year later, compared with just 24 per
saving treatments to be fast-tracked hair loss and infections caused by is satisfied, the treatment can be cent who had chemotherapy. Some of
through the licensing process that healthy cells being destroyed. beneficial without causing harm; it is those on the drug are still living two
usually takes years. Some skin cancer patients previously made available to patients. years on.
When administered every two weeks, diagnosed as terminal have been
the drug nivolumab works by teaching able to return to work following Costs are covered by the manufacturer Dr Tom Newsom-Davis, consultant
the body’s immune system to attack immunotherapy. They only need to top until the drug is formally licensed in the cancer specialist at Chelsea and
cancerous cells. up jabs every few months. usual way. Westminster Hospital, said: ‘Lung
Lung cancer is one of the deadliest The scheme means patients are cancer is one of the most difficult to
Evidence shows the effect continues forms of the illness. Only 5 per cent of effectively guinea pigs testing out treat … early access to nivolumab is
for several years after the treatment patients are still alive ten years after new drugs and possible side effects, therefore very positive … patients have
has stopped. Experts have hailed such diagnosis. It is also the second most but the Government hopes it will save the potential to access a new medicine
immunotherapy as a ‘new era’ in the common – after breast in women and hundreds of lives. which has shown in clinical studies to
fight against cancer. Early trials have prostate in men – with 43,000 new offer significant extension of survival.’
suggested it doubles survival rates. cases each year. George Freeman, Life Sciences Last month, experts said
Doctors will be able to offer nivolumab Minister, said: ‘The positive scientific immunotherapy was a ‘game-changer’
to patients with advanced lung cancer, Nivolumab is the third treatment made opinion of nivolumab offers real hope and the biggest breakthrough since
for whom surgery is no longer an option. available through the Early Access to to those who need it most... I hope this chemotherapy.
16 INTERNATIONAL Thursday, July 23 2015 - ARUBA TRAVELLER
