New cervical cancer treatment cuts risk of death by 40% in ‘biggest breakthrough in 20 years’
A NEW treatment regime for cervical cancer cuts the risk of death by 40 per cent, according to a large-scale study.
Researchers in London completed a long-term follow up of patients given a short course of chemotherapy before chemoradiation – a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The findings, which follow on from those first presented in October 2023, show a 40 per cent reduction in the risk of death and a 35 per cent reduction in the risk of cancer coming back within at least five years.
At the time of the initial results, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) hailed the shift as the biggest improvement in cervical cancer treatment in more than 20 years.
Chemoradiation has been the standard treatment for the condition since 1999, but despite improvements in care, cancer returns in up to 30 per cent of cases.
The Interlace phase III trial, funded by CRUK and University College London (UCL) Cancer Trials Centre, looked at whether a short course of induction chemotherapy prior to chemoradiation could cut relapses and death among patients with locally advanced cervical cancer that had not spread to other organs.
The results, published in The Lancet, are so clear that experts are calling for the regime to be used across the UK and internationally.
Dr Mary McCormack, lead investigator of the trial from UCL Cancer Institute and University College London Hospital (UCLH), said: “This approach is a straightforward way to make a positive difference, using existing drugs that are cheap and already approved for use in patients.
“It has already been adopted by some cancer centres and there’s no reason that this shouldn’t be offered to all patients undergoing chemoradiation for this cancer.”
The trial team recruited 500 patients over 10 years from hospitals in the UK, Mexico, India, Italy and Brazil.
They were randomly allocated to receive either standard treatment or the new treatment combination.
After five years, 80 per cent of those who received a short course of chemotherapy first were alive and 73 per cent had not seen their cancer return or spread.
In the standard treatment group, 72 per cent were alive and 64 per cent had not seen their cancer return or spread.
Researchers said that five patients involved in the trial have been disease-free for more than 10 years.
Professor Jonathan Ledermann, senior author of the study from UCL Cancer Institute, said: “The incremental cost for using the drugs in the Interlace trial is low, making this a new treatment that can be easily implemented in all health economies, to significantly improve overall survival.”
Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at Cancer Research UK, added: “Timing is everything when you’re treating cancer.
“The simple act of adding induction chemotherapy to the start of chemoradiation treatment for cervical cancer has delivered remarkable results in the Interlace trial.
“A growing body of evidence is showing that additional chemotherapy before other treatments, like surgery and radiotherapy, can improve the chances of successful treatment for patients.
“Not only can it reduce the chances of cancer coming back, it can also be delivered quickly, using drugs already available worldwide.”
How to protect yourself against cervical cancer
CERVICAL cancer is most commonly diagnosed in women in their early 30s, with around 3,200 new cases and 850 deaths each year in the UK.
According to CRUK, the five-year survival rate is around 70 per cent – and the earlier it is caught, the better.
Cervical screening programmes and HPV vaccines have reduced rates and save 4,000 lives each year.
It is vital you attend your smear test and get jabbed when invited, and that you know the symptoms of cervical cancer to look out for.
These aren’t always obvious, and they may not become noticeable until the cancer has reached an advanced stage.
But you might notice:
- Unusual bleeding (often after sex, between periods, or after the menopause)
- Pain and discomfort during sex
- Vaginal discharge (often unpleasant smelling)
- Pain in your lower back, between your hip bones or in your lower tummy
Women are invited to have regular cervical screenings between the ages of 25 and 64. How often depends on your age.
The HPV vaccine, which helps protect against the virus, is recommended for children aged 12 to 13 and people at higher risk from HPV.
Source: NHS and Cancer Research UK