New Breast Cancer Drug Capivasertib Available on NHS for Advanced Cases

Groundbreaking Breast Cancer Drug

• 💊 A new drug called Capivasertib is now available on the NHS in England and Wales for patients with advanced breast cancer.
• 🎯 This targeted treatment has shown significant results in shrinking tumors and extending patients' lives.
• 🌸 Linda, a patient with advanced breast cancer, shares her experience, stating the drug has given her nearly four years of extra time and allows her to live a normal life.

How Capivasertib Works

• 🔬 Developed at the Institute of Cancer Research over 20 years, Capivasertib targets and switches off the growth protein in cancer cells.
• 🧬 It is specifically for the most common type of breast cancer, HR positive, with a particular gene mutation.
• 📈 Scientists describe it as one of the most effective drugs they've seen, potentially inducing responses for years and doubling treatment duration on average.

Benefits and Patient Impact

• ✨ A key benefit of Capivasertib is its fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy, allowing patients to maintain a good quality of life.
• ✈️ This reduction in side effects enables patients like Linda to travel and make future life plans with confidence.
• 👩‍⚕️ It is estimated that around 3,000 women a year in England will benefit from this new drug.

Wider Context and Advocacy

• 🏥 While a breakthrough, a charity has called for breast cancer drugs to be approved more quickly.
• 💬 The drug offers another potential treatment option for those battling this form of cancer.