A drug that has been hailed as a “significant breakthrough” for thousands of breast cancer patients was made available on the NHS yesterday.
Abemaciclib has been shown in trials to reduce the risk of one form of the disease recurring by a third in some women.
The drug, which is used in conjunction with hormone therapy, is effective in people who have HR+, HER2- early breast cancer with a high risk of recurrence and whose tumor has been surgically removed.
Abemaciclib given with hormone therapy reduced the risk of cancer returning by 32% compared to hormone therapy alone, according to a global trial led by the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. It has the potential to assist up to 4,000 women per year.
Abemaciclib inhibits the proteins that cause cancer cells to divide and grow. It normally costs £2,950 for 56 tablets, but the NHS has negotiated an undisclosed discount with its American manufacturer, Eli Lilly.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and while the prognosis for this type of cancer is generally good, it can spread and become incurable in 20 to 30% of cases. Breast cancer is diagnosed in 50,000 women in England each year.
‘The fear of breast cancer returning or spreading to other parts of their body and becoming incurable can cause considerable anxiety for so many women and their loved ones,’ said Baroness Morgan of Drefelin, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now. ‘It’s now important clinicians discuss this new treatment and the risks and benefits with eligible patients.’