New breast cancer drug hope for patients

Perjeta can be used for patients with the aggressive HER-2 positive form of the disease, which accounts for a quarter of breast cancers.

It is used alongside the drug Herceptin and chemotherapy. Tests have found patients live an average of six months longer without their cancer getting worse, compared with those just on Herceptin and chemotherapy.

Trials are taking place to see if it can bring benefits to women with early breast cancer.

The drug, which costs £2,300 per cycle of treatment, has yet to be approved for routine NHS use but should be available via the Government’s cancer drugs fund. It has been licensed following trials at a number of hospitals including in Sheffield and Leeds.

Cancer specialist Tim Perren, of St James’s Hospital in Leeds, said the licensing was a “significant step forward” for patients.

“Keeping cancer at bay for considerably longer and extending survival, Perjeta offers a major improvement over the current gold standard of care,” he said.

The drug, developed by pharmaceutical giant Roche, is the first in a new class of treatments and works differently to any other cancer medicine in combination with Herceptin to block cancer cells survival and growth signals.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: “Perjeta has the potential to bring a significant, and precious, extension of life to around 2,000 women with advanced breast cancer each year, by preventing the cancer from progressing for longer than we’ve seen with other treatment combinations.”

Rachel Greig, from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: said the benefits to patients were very clear. “Whilst it is not a cure, women can manage their disease for longer with limited side effects and so we’re thrilled with the outcome at this stage.”