New vaccine to treat 15 types of cancer now available on NHS
A new jab which allows cancer patients to be treated with just one injection is set to be rolled out by the NHS for 15 different types of the disease.
Patients will be able to receive the immunotherapy in a vaccine, called nivolumab, in a treatment that will take just 15 minutes rather than spending an hour on an IV drip.
Around 1,200 patients a month will receive it for 15 different types of cancer, including skin cancer, bladder as England becomes the first country in Europe to offer it.
The drug is a monoclonal antibody that works by clinging to a protein called PD-1 on an immune cell called T-cell. It works by blocking cancer cells from switching off T-cells, allowing the immune system to seek out and destroy cancer cells.
NHS England said the jab, being rolled out to eligible patients next month, would save around 1,000 hours of treatment time for patients and clinicians every month.
Professor Peter Johnson, NHS England's national clinical director for cancer, said: 'This treatment is used for 15 different types of the disease, so it will free up thousands of valuable clinicians' time every year, allowing teams to treat even more patients and helping hospital capacity.
'And this is just the latest development in the NHS's ongoing commitment to provide patients with the latest cancer therapies and treatment options that truly transform lives.'
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said: "Britain is a hotbed of innovation, masterminding the newest tech and medical inventions to help people navigate illness. A new jab that fastens up cancer treatment is a prime example of this, so it's fantastic to see that cancer patients in England will be among the first in Europe to benefit.'
"With cancer medicines getting better all the time, this government will ensure that NHS patients are among the first to access the latest treatments and technology.'
And James Richardson, Clinical Pharmacist and National Specialty Adviser for Cancer Drugs, said: 'I am delighted that NHS patients across England will soon be able to benefit from this quicker-to-administer, effective treatment, that can be used to treat a range of cancer types, including skin cancer and solid tumours originating in the kidneys.
'This is a significant advancement in cancer treatment, with the potential to improve the lives of thousands of patients each month.'
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South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
AI foot scanner could keep people with heart failure out of hospital
The device, which is roughly the size of a smart speaker, operates in a similar way to facial recognition by taking and analysing almost 2,000 pictures a minute to calculate the level of fluid in the feet and ankles. This water retention, known as oedema, is one of the three major warning signs that heart failure is becoming severe and potentially life threatening. The AI scanner is able to trigger an alert to healthcare professionals so they can take action, such as increasing their patient's medication. The Foot Study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference in Manchester, suggests these alerts come 13 days before a person would end up in hospital. It involved 26 heart failure patients from five NHS trusts who were enrolled between 2020 and 2022. They were monitored using the AI device and were also asked to weigh themselves using Bluetooth-enabled scales. Seven instance of worsening heart failure was detected in six patients, while one death from the condition was recorded. Researchers found that, in patients enrolled in the study for at least two weeks before an alert was triggered, the average lead time before hospital admission was 13 days. The lead time averaged eight days when all five triggers picked up by the device were analysed. The study also found that monitoring using the scales failed to predict any heart failure-related hospital admissions. Researchers suggested this is because patients struggled to stick to tracking their weight, whereas the AI device did not require any action. Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and a consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Only about half of people admitted to hospital with heart failure currently get assigned an early review by a heart failure nurse who can check to see if they are suffering a harmful build-up of fluid because their heart is not working properly. 'Amid a shortage of heart failure nurses, a device like this can be like a virtual nurse, tracking people's health.' The device, developed by Cambridge-based start-up Heartfelt Technologies, is mounted to the wall and is typically installed at a patient's bedside. It uses AI technology to detect a person's foot and lower leg and track their position, so a camera can take 1,800 pictures a minute from multiple angles. These images reveal the volume of fluid in the foot and lower leg. It works without wifi, and only scans the legs to a height of 50cm from the floor. Heart failure is a long-term condition that means the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, usually because the heart has become too weak or stiff. Is it estimated that more than a million people are living with heart failure in the UK. The three main symptoms that indicate the condition is getting worse are increased breathlessness, weight gain and swelling in the legs or ankles. Dr Keeling added: 'Living with heart failure can be overwhelming, with all the medications, medical tests and appointments, and the requirement to monitor your own health. 'This scanner, once it is installed, just automatically keeps an eye on you and alerts the heart failure nurse, which is a huge relief.' At the end of the study, 18 of the 22 surviving patients kept the AI device. Reacting to the findings, Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: 'This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital. 'This study is a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment, by allowing people to track a key sign of their heart health at home. 'Innovations with the potential to transform heart care in this way are a major part of the BHF's goal to save and improve lives of people living with cardiovascular disease.'
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
AI foot scanner could keep people with heart failure out of hospital
The device, which is roughly the size of a smart speaker, operates in a similar way to facial recognition by taking and analysing almost 2,000 pictures a minute to calculate the level of fluid in the feet and ankles. This water retention, known as oedema, is one of the three major warning signs that heart failure is becoming severe and potentially life threatening. The AI scanner is able to trigger an alert to healthcare professionals so they can take action, such as increasing their patient's medication. The Foot Study, which is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society annual conference in Manchester, suggests these alerts come 13 days before a person would end up in hospital. It involved 26 heart failure patients from five NHS trusts who were enrolled between 2020 and 2022. They were monitored using the AI device and were also asked to weigh themselves using Bluetooth-enabled scales. Seven instance of worsening heart failure was detected in six patients, while one death from the condition was recorded. Researchers found that, in patients enrolled in the study for at least two weeks before an alert was triggered, the average lead time before hospital admission was 13 days. The lead time averaged eight days when all five triggers picked up by the device were analysed. The study also found that monitoring using the scales failed to predict any heart failure-related hospital admissions. Researchers suggested this is because patients struggled to stick to tracking their weight, whereas the AI device did not require any action. Dr Philip Keeling, senior author of the study and a consultant cardiologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'Only about half of people admitted to hospital with heart failure currently get assigned an early review by a heart failure nurse who can check to see if they are suffering a harmful build-up of fluid because their heart is not working properly. 'Amid a shortage of heart failure nurses, a device like this can be like a virtual nurse, tracking people's health.' The device, developed by Cambridge-based start-up Heartfelt Technologies, is mounted to the wall and is typically installed at a patient's bedside. It uses AI technology to detect a person's foot and lower leg and track their position, so a camera can take 1,800 pictures a minute from multiple angles. These images reveal the volume of fluid in the foot and lower leg. It works without wifi, and only scans the legs to a height of 50cm from the floor. Heart failure is a long-term condition that means the heart is unable to pump blood around the body properly, usually because the heart has become too weak or stiff. Is it estimated that more than a million people are living with heart failure in the UK. The three main symptoms that indicate the condition is getting worse are increased breathlessness, weight gain and swelling in the legs or ankles. Dr Keeling added: 'Living with heart failure can be overwhelming, with all the medications, medical tests and appointments, and the requirement to monitor your own health. 'This scanner, once it is installed, just automatically keeps an eye on you and alerts the heart failure nurse, which is a huge relief.' At the end of the study, 18 of the 22 surviving patients kept the AI device. Reacting to the findings, Professor Bryan Williams, chief scientific and medical officer at the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: 'This small study suggests a simple device could significantly improve outcomes for at-risk patients with heart failure by keeping them out of hospital. 'This study is a good example of how technology might aid earlier interventions and treatment, by allowing people to track a key sign of their heart health at home. 'Innovations with the potential to transform heart care in this way are a major part of the BHF's goal to save and improve lives of people living with cardiovascular disease.'
