More than a thousand patients living with bladder cancer every year can now receive a breakthrough treatment that can double survival rates from the disease.
The treatment which has been approved for use on the NHS has been hailed as ‘one of the most hopeful advances in decades for people with bladder cancer.’ Around 1,250 patients with bladder cancer in England a year could be offered the therapy, which significantly boosts survival and remission rates.
In clinical trials, people with bladder cancer that had spread (metastasised) lived up to twice as long when given the combination antibody treatment compared to those given normal chemotherapy. The combination treatment works by using a powerful two-pronged attack, with enfortumab vedotin directly targeting the cancer cells and killing them, while pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, helps the immune system recognise and fight the remaining cancer cells.
It is given via an IV infusion to people whose bladder cancer has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be surgically removed. Bladder cancer is difficult to treat with standard chemotherapy, with life expectancy for people with metastatic bladder cancer at just over a year.
The new approach increased survival from around 1.5 years with chemotherapy to more than 2.5 years. The length of time the treatment kept the cancer at bay also more than doubled – from just over 6 months to 1.5 years.
Additionally, nearly 30% of patients had no detectable traces of cancer in their body following treatment with enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab, compared to 12.5% with chemotherapy. Patients also experienced fewer harmful side effects with the combination treatment, thanks to its selective targeting of the cancer.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Cancer, said: “This is one of the most hopeful advances in decades for people with bladder cancer who will now be offered a treatment that can almost double their chances of survival, helping thousands to live longer and giving them more precious moments with their loved ones.
“Bladder cancer is often difficult to treat once it has spread, but this new therapy is the first one in years to really help stop the disease in its tracks, and our rollout to NHS patients will make a huge difference to the lives of those affected and their families”.
The trial results are available here: Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Untreated Advanced Urothelial Cancer | New England Journal of Medicine
