‘Breakthrough’ new cancer drug that prolongs life gets green light from NHS

HUNDREDS of breast and prostate cancer patients are being offered a ‘breakthrough’ drug on the NHS.

Olaparib is being distributed to Brits who are at risk of tumors returning after treatment.

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Around 550 men with advanced prostate cancer and 300 women with HER2-negative early breast cancer receive the targeted therapy each year in England.

NHS chief Amanda Pritchard said: “Olaparib could have a huge impact on patients with a range of cancers.

“Many will have better chances of survival, while patients with advanced forms of the disease will be offered valuable additional months of life.

“The achievement of this landmark deal is incredible news for patients and their families.”

Olaparib, also known as Lynparza, is taken as a daily pill.

Studies show that it can extend patients’ lives by an average of six months.

Breast cancer patients who received chemotherapy saw their risk of the tumor returning within four years drop by almost a third.

The NHS has negotiated a deal with AstraZeneca to supply the drug to healthcare providers.

There are more than 55,000 new cases of breast cancer in the UK each year, and the disease kills around 1,500 women.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive of Breast Cancer Now, said: “It is fantastic news that olaparib has now been approved for use in the NHS.

“It’s a breakthrough and potentially life-saving treatment for certain people with primary breast cancer.”

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men and is diagnosed in around 52,000 people in England each year.

More than 12,000 die each year.

Chiara De Biase of Prostate Cancer UK said: “This is a milestone in the treatment of prostate cancer.

“This is the first targeted treatment of its kind to be approved for this disease and it finally moves us away from the old ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to treating prostate cancer.”