‘Game-changing’ breast cancer pill to be offered on NHS
A “huge breakthrough” in breast cancer treatment has arrived with the NHS approval of a twice-daily pill for the most common form of advanced disease.
The drug, capivasertib (also known as Truqap), offers new hope for up to 3,000 women annually with hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer harbouring specific genetic mutations and exhibiting spread.
Capivasertib, developed by AstraZeneca, targets the AKT protein, a molecule known to fuel the multiplication of cancer cells.
By inhibiting AKT’s action, the drug effectively slows or halts the progression of the disease. Clinical trials have demonstrated the drug’s efficacy, revealing that when combined with the hormone therapy, fulvestrant, capivasertib extended the period before cancer advancement by an average of 4.2 months compared to patients receiving fulvestrant and a placebo.
This translates to an improvement from 3.1 months to 7.3 months before disease progression.
