NHS to fund pioneering skin cancer drug

The combination therapy drug unleashes the immune system and in trials was shown to shrink the most aggressive type of skin cancer in 69% of patients.

The drug, which will be paid for by the NHS in England and is likely to be approved throughout the UK, is giving “new hope” to cancer patients.

Immunotherapy harnesses the body’s defences, and these drugs, ipilimumab and nivolumab stop cancers from hiding and allow the immune system to attack cancer cells.

A decade ago, patients with aggressive and advanced melanoma lived for an average of nine months. Now, two years after commencing this treatment, over 50% of tumours are shown to have shrunk and a fifth of patients have no sign of cancer.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved the drugs and their decision is said to be amongst the fastest in the history of the NHS.

Professor Carole Longson of NICE, said “These promising new immunotherapy treatments for advanced melanoma look set to significantly extend the life of people with the condition.”

Dr Paul Nathan of the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, said “Immunotherapy is genuinely exciting, it is starting to have a profound effect on many cancers and I’m in no doubt there will be patients that have long-term durable control of their disease, it really is a game changer.”

The combination of these two drugs enables the therapy to be more effective than if either drug was used alone. However, they do carry a higher risk of severe side effects as the drugs trigger the immune system to also attack healthy tissues and cause inflammation to the liver and bowels.

Chief clinician at Cancer Research UK, Professor Peter Johnson, said “These results give new hope to melanoma patients. But, it’s important to remember that more powerful treatment comes with an increased chance of severe side effects.

“Our research now needs to identify which patients are most likely to benefit from this combination and who is most likely to experience the side effects, so doctors can make sure we get the balance right.”

Founder of the charity Melanoma UK, Gill Nuttall, said “Once melanoma reaches an advanced stage, it is an aggressive and life-threatening disease which is difficult to treat because it has spread to other parts of the body.

“Today’s decision is hugely significant for patients.”

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