New hope for breast cancer sufferers
I act for a large number of clients who have suffered a delay in diagnosis of their breast cancer. I spend a considerable amount of time supporting my clients and helping them through a very difficult journey. I hear the fear they face, that the delay they have suffered may have shortened their life and increased their risk of the cancer returning or spreading.
There are various different types of breast cancer, but triple negative breast cancer is aggressive and often fast spreading, most commonly diagnosed in those under the age of 40, or where they have the BRCA gene mutation.
I was therefore delighted to read that a new drug, called Pembrolizumab, has been trialed to treat these tumours, with results indicating that it reduces the risk of the cancer returning or spreading by 37%.
The drug has already been used to treat other cancers, by stimulating the immune system so that it can recognize and attack the tumour.
Lead researcher Professor Peter Schmid, of Queen Mary University of London, said:
“We now have long-term results that show the cure rate for these cancers is significantly increased.”
Pembrolizumab has already been approved for treatment of breast cancer in America, and experts hope the latest results will mean the NHS will also approve this drug in patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer.
Every year in the UK, 8,000 women are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, my Mum being one of those unfortunate statistics. News of hope and advancing medical research which will continue to see a much brighter prognosis after a diagnosis of cancer is extremely encouraging.
Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, from Breast Cancer Now, said:
“This promising new treatment could potentially prevent more lives being lost to this devastating disease. We desperately need new and effective treatments.”
If you have suffered a delay in diagnosis, and would like to receive free independent legal advice, without any obligation, please contact me on hcampbell@wolferstans.com.