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Sep 2019
‘Revolutionary’ new tumour-agnostic cancer drugs approved for use
A ‘revolutionary’ new cancer drug which is able to treat a wide range of tumours has been approved for the first time for use across Europe.
The new tumour-agnostic drugs target any tumours within the body that have a specific genetic abnormality inside, regardless of where the cancer is growing in the body.
UK doctors who have carried out tests on the drug, known as larotrectinib, said it was “a really exciting thing” and added that the approach had the potential to cut side effects and cure more patients.
The approach marks a move away from treating a ‘bowel cancer’, a ‘breast cancer’ or a ‘lung cancer, and closer to precision medicine, which takes advantage of the genetic make-up of each patient’s tumour.
Dr Julia Chisholm of the Royal Marsden Hospital, said “The beauty is it targets the abnormality. There are a number of biochemical pathways that we common in many different tumour types. I think this is the way things are going and this is about better outcomes, curing more patients and producing kinder treatments with reduced side-effects.”
Earlier this year, NHS England described tumour-agnostic drugs as a ‘revolutionary’ and ‘exciting new breakthrough’ in cancer and said preparations were commencing to ensure patients were given access to them.
Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England, said at the time “The benefits for patients – in particular children – of being able to treat many different types of cancers with one drug is potentially huge, helping them to lead longer, healthier lives.”
Cancer Research UK’s Professor Charles Swanton, said “The NHS will need to ensure the right genomic testing is available across the country to identify patients who could benefit so it’s good that the NHS is already thinking about how to get this to patients with cancer as soon as possible.”
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Posted by Tony May, Partner/head of Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.
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