Latest news with #Pembrolizumab
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First Post
3 days ago
- Health
- First Post
'A gift of life': How a cancer drug doubles the survival rate
A new study has revealed that the drug called pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, not only kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care but also significantly lowered the chances of cancer spreading read more A drug called pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. Image for Representation. Pixabay Hundreds of thousands of patients with advanced head and neck cancer could live years longer without the disease, thanks to a breakthrough immunotherapy drug, a new clinical trial suggests. The study revealed that the drug called pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. When added to current therapies, it could potentially double the time patients live without a recurrence, making it one of the biggest breakthroughs in two decades. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Kevin Harrington, professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and lead researcher of the trial, described the development as game-changing. 'This could change the world for these patients,' he told the BBC. 'It significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat.' So, how exactly does Pembrolizumab work? And what did the trial reveal? We break it down. 'A gift of life' For Laura Marston, a 45-year-old from Derbyshire, the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab has been nothing short of 'a gift of life'. Back in 2019, Laura noticed an ulcer on her tongue that just wouldn't heal. Tests revealed it was cancer, and doctors gave her only a 30 per cent chance of long-term survival. 'I was 39 and I was devastated,' she told the BBC. The road ahead was tough. She had to undergo major surgery to remove her tongue and the lymph nodes in her neck. After that came the even harder part, learning how to talk and eat again. 'My prognosis was quite dire,' she recalled. Surgeons had to use muscle from her left arm to rebuild the inside of her mouth. It changed her life in every way. But amid the struggle, there was hope. Laura joined an international clinical trial testing a new approach to treatment, one that used pembrolizumab not just after surgery, but also before it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Patients who received pembrolizumab lived cancer-free for twice as long, five years on average, compared to just 2.5 years with standard treatment. Representational Image/Pixabay The clinical trial, led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and involving scientists from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, enrolled over 700 patients across 24 countries. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco), the world's largest cancer conference, showed that the patients who received pembrolizumab lived cancer-free for twice as long, five years on average, compared to just 2.5 years with standard treatment. The drug also cut the chances of the cancer returning elsewhere in the body by 10 per cent after three years. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients whose cancer has come back or spread,' said Harrington, who co-led the study, told The Guardian. 'But until now, it hadn't shown this kind of success in people being treated for the first time.' Today, six years after her diagnosis, Laura is working full-time and doing well. 'It's been phenomenal for me,' she said. 'Because I'm here, able to talk to you. Just having this amazing immunotherapy has given me my life back again.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How does the drug work? Unlike traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, which attack the tumour directly, immunotherapy works by boosting the body's own defences. It helps the immune system recognise cancer cells and destroy them. In this trial, researchers found that the timing of the drug was key. Patients were given pembrolizumab before surgery, allowing their immune systems to get familiar and kill the cancer if it ever comes back. 'We give the immune system the chance to have a good look at the tumour to generate anti-tumour immunity,' explained Harrington told BBC. 'Then, after removal of the tumour, we continue to amplify that immune response by giving the drug continually for up to a year.' The treatment worked especially well for people with high levels of a protein called PD-L1, which acts as a marker for how active the immune system might be. But even patients without high PD-L1 levels saw clear benefits. The risk of cancer returning or spreading dropped significantly across the board. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients,' Harrington said. 'It significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, and that's when it becomes incredibly difficult to treat.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
ITV News
3 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Immunotherapy drug helps patients go cancer-free for twice as long, trial shows
An immunotherapy drug could help some cancer patients live years longer without the disease getting worse or coming back, a trial has found. Pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. It also slashed the risk of the disease returning in another part of the body, the study suggests. Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, or the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than two decades, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10% lower among those on pembrolizumab. Kevin Harrington, a professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients – it significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat.' Prof Harrington added that the drug 'dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments'. 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers, but it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels,' he said. It is estimated there are about 12,800 cases of head and neck cancer in the UK each year.
South Wales Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Immunotherapy drug helps patients go cancer-free for twice as long, trial shows
Pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. It also slashed the risk of the disease returning in another part of the body, the study suggests. Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, or the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than two decades, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10% lower among those on pembrolizumab. Kevin Harrington, a professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients – it significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat.' Prof Harrington added that the drug 'dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments'. 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers, but it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels,' he said. It is estimated there are about 12,800 cases of head and neck cancer in the UK each year.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
Immunotherapy drug helps patients go cancer-free for twice as long, trial shows
An immunotherapy drug could help some cancer patients live years longer without the disease getting worse or coming back, a trial has found. Pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An immunotherapy drug could help some cancer patients live years longer without the disease getting worse or coming back, a trial has found. Pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It also slashed the risk of the disease returning in another part of the body, the study suggests. Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, or the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than two decades, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10% lower among those on pembrolizumab. Kevin Harrington, a professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients – it significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat.' Prof Harrington added that the drug 'dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments'. 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers, but it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels,' he said.
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Health
- Belfast Telegraph
Immunotherapy drug helps patients go cancer-free for twice as long, trial shows
Pembrolizumab, sold under the brand name Keytruda, kept head and neck cancers at bay for five years compared to 30 months with standard care. It also slashed the risk of the disease returning in another part of the body, the study suggests. Head and neck cancer refers to a group of cancers that can develop anywhere in the head or neck, including the mouth, the oesophagus, the space behind the nose, the salivary gland, or the voice box. Standard care, which includes surgery to remove tumours followed by radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy, has not changed for these patients in more than two decades, according to researchers. The global Keynote-689 trial was carried out at 192 sites in 24 countries, and involved 714 patients. Some 363 people received pembrolizumab followed by standard care, with the remainder receiving standard care only. Pembrolizumab works by targeting a protein known as PD-L1, which is found on T cells and helps the immune system recognise and fight cancer. By blocking this protein, the treatment helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. The treatment is already approved for use on its own or in combination with chemotherapy for patients with a certain type of head and neck cancer that has come back or spread around the body. The trial, which is being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting, found cancer returned in half the patients given pembrolizumab after five years, compared with two-and-a-half years in those receiving standard care. After three years, the risk of cancer returning somewhere else in the body was also 10% lower among those on pembrolizumab. Kevin Harrington, a professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research, London, and consultant oncologist at the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'For patients with newly-diagnosed, locally-advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven't changed in over two decades. 'Immunotherapy has been amazingly beneficial for patients with cancer that has come back or spread around the body but, until now, it hasn't been as successful for those presenting for the first time with disease which has spread to nearby areas. 'This research shows that immunotherapy could change the world for these patients – it significantly decreases the chance of cancer spreading around the body, at which point it's incredibly difficult to treat.' Prof Harrington added that the drug 'dramatically increases the duration of disease remission – for years longer than the current standard treatments'. 'It works particularly well for those with high levels of immune markers, but it's really exciting to see that the treatment improves outcomes for all head and neck cancer patients, regardless of these levels,' he said. It is estimated there are about 12,800 cases of head and neck cancer in the UK each year.
