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| Kidney cancer drug approved for NHS use in England | Kidney cancer drug approved for NHS use in England |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A drug which could prolong life for people with advanced kidney cancer has been approved for use on the NHS in England and Wales. | A drug which could prolong life for people with advanced kidney cancer has been approved for use on the NHS in England and Wales. |
| Cabozantinib has the potential to switch off tumours in some patients and could give them many months of good-quality life, doctors said. | Cabozantinib has the potential to switch off tumours in some patients and could give them many months of good-quality life, doctors said. |
| Kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the UK with around 12,000 new cases every year. | Kidney cancer is the seventh most common cancer in the UK with around 12,000 new cases every year. |
| The drug has already been approved for use in Scotland. | The drug has already been approved for use in Scotland. |
| A charity, Kidney Research UK, said treatment options for kidney cancer were limited and the newly-approved drug would offer patients "more hope and more time with their loved ones". | A charity, Kidney Research UK, said treatment options for kidney cancer were limited and the newly-approved drug would offer patients "more hope and more time with their loved ones". |
| 'Another hope' | |
| Sallyann Allenby, 61, from Surrey is being treated for renal cell carcinoma - the most common type of kidney cancer - at St George's Hospital in London. | Sallyann Allenby, 61, from Surrey is being treated for renal cell carcinoma - the most common type of kidney cancer - at St George's Hospital in London. |
| She had a kidney removed in 2013 after finding blood in her urine on holiday and then collapsing on the flight home. | She had a kidney removed in 2013 after finding blood in her urine on holiday and then collapsing on the flight home. |
| Sallyann has tried several different treatments, one of which gave her unpleasant side-effects, and she has also participated in a clinical trial which did not work for her. | Sallyann has tried several different treatments, one of which gave her unpleasant side-effects, and she has also participated in a clinical trial which did not work for her. |
| In July, she began another new treatment and said cabozantinib gave her another option. | In July, she began another new treatment and said cabozantinib gave her another option. |
| "This is really another hope for people like me, it's something else to look forward to... | "This is really another hope for people like me, it's something else to look forward to... |
| "It's bad enough having the cancer, but if you know there's something else you can try then that keeps you going. | "It's bad enough having the cancer, but if you know there's something else you can try then that keeps you going. |
| "I've got two lovely granddaughters. I want to be around for a while yet." | "I've got two lovely granddaughters. I want to be around for a while yet." |
| Silencing tumours | Silencing tumours |
| In trials, the drug was shown to be useful in patients whose kidney cancer had spread around the body and had become resistant to other treatments. | In trials, the drug was shown to be useful in patients whose kidney cancer had spread around the body and had become resistant to other treatments. |
| The way cabozantinib works means it can target molecules on drug-resistant cancer cells, stopping the tumours or at least silencing them for a while. | The way cabozantinib works means it can target molecules on drug-resistant cancer cells, stopping the tumours or at least silencing them for a while. |
| It works very differently to chemotherapy drugs and also immunotherapy drugs such as nivolumab, which is approved to treat advanced kidney cancer on the NHS. | It works very differently to chemotherapy drugs and also immunotherapy drugs such as nivolumab, which is approved to treat advanced kidney cancer on the NHS. |
| Nivolumab harnesses the power of the patient's own immune system to destroy their cancer cells. | Nivolumab harnesses the power of the patient's own immune system to destroy their cancer cells. |
| Symptoms of kidney cancer can include blood in the urine, persistent pain in the side of the body just below the ribs and a lump or swelling in the kidney area. | Symptoms of kidney cancer can include blood in the urine, persistent pain in the side of the body just below the ribs and a lump or swelling in the kidney area. |
| The cancer usually affects adults in their 60s or 70s and is rare in people under 50. | The cancer usually affects adults in their 60s or 70s and is rare in people under 50. |
| If it's caught early, kidney cancer can often be cured but a delay in diagnosis means a cure is less likely. | If it's caught early, kidney cancer can often be cured but a delay in diagnosis means a cure is less likely. |
| A spokesman from Kidney Research UK said: "We are pleased to see cabozantinib has been approved by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, offering patients with renal cell carcinoma an increased chance of improved progression-free survival, compared to the standard therapy." | A spokesman from Kidney Research UK said: "We are pleased to see cabozantinib has been approved by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, offering patients with renal cell carcinoma an increased chance of improved progression-free survival, compared to the standard therapy." |