Landmark NHS approval of cancer drugs offers new hope for children and adults with rare blood cancers
NHS England has approved two new drug treatments for rare blood cancers, including histiocytic neoplasms and Hodgkin lymphoma. These therapies offer new options for patients who have not responded to standard treatments, with one drug allowing for home-based administration.
Why it matters
These approvals provide life-saving alternatives for patients with limited options and improve quality of life by reducing the need for hospital-based care.
Infants and young children are among hundreds of patients set to receive new life-saving drugs for rare blood cancers.
Around 200 patients a year will benefit from the 2 new cutting-edge treatments approved by NHS England, offering fresh hope to families when other therapies have failed.
Dabrafenib is a tablet that treats histiocytic neoplasms - rare and potentially deadly blood cancers. Without effective treatment, around 1 in 10 children with high-risk disease die within a year of diagnosis, while 7 in 10 adults die within 5 years.
The potentially lifesaving treatment works by blocking proteins that help cancer cells grow, slowing or stopping the disease. Its approval will also mean patients can take the drug at home instead of spending time in hospital, causing less disruption to their daily lives than more invasive therapies.
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