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A new treatment option, pembrolizumab, has today been recommended by NICE which could benefit around 2,100 people with advanced womb cancer in the UK. It is available immediately through the Cancer Drugs Fund.
The new treatment often known by its brand name Keytruda by Merck Sharp & Dohme is a type of immunotherapy which works by helping the immune system to kill cancer cells. This recommendation by NICE marks the first time immunotherapy has been combined with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for this type of cancer, for the whole group of patients – those with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.
Penbrolizumab is given in a drip alongside chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel. Clinical trials show that adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy reduces the risk of death by 26 per cent compared with chemotherapy alone, according to NICE.
Treatment is stopped after two years, or earlier if the cancer worsens or side-effects become too difficult.
“For people with advanced endometrial cancer, this innovative combination offers a powerful new treatment option,” said Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE. “It marks a major step forward, and we’re pleased to recommend it as part of our commitment to getting the best care to people, fast, while ensuring value for the taxpayer.”
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