NICE recommends nivolumab

NICE recommends nivolumab: Kidney Cancer UK is delighted that  National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended the drug nivolumab to be made available to late-stage kidney cancer patients through the NHS. This will extend the lives of thousands of kidney cancer patients who may have faced an early death.

Kidney cancer patients across England, Wales and Northern Ireland were optimistic of good news in the light of the excellent scientific data surrounding nivolumab, so the news of the recommendation from NICE will be welcomed everywhere. Data show that this drug offers a higher quality of life as it has fewer side-effects. It has a much less intense regime of treatment, and offers extended life expectancy to some with advanced stage kidney cancer. Conversations Kidney Cancer UK has had with patients taking part in trials confirm that the data are realistic, if not understated.
Ed Gerrard, a terminal kidney cancer patient who currently has a life expectancy of six months, said: “As a stage-four kidney cancer patient I wholeheartedly welcome the decision by NICE to recommend nivolumab for advanced kidney cancer. The NHS has previously funded two front line drugs (sutent and axitinib); when these fail there is nothing else. Now there is a light at the end of the tunnel for people like me for whom the aforementioned drugs have failed. As a father of two young children I am delighted that nivolumab will be available, it could allow me invaluable extra months of life with my boys.”
Nick Turkentine, CEO of Kidney Cancer UK, added: “We are absolutely delighted that NICE eventually saw the obvious importance and value of this drug to late stage kidney cancer patients. We were very concerned with the initial news that NICE were not recommending the drug. Data, personal statements, public opinion and various negotiations seem to have won the day and we could not be happier at this outcome for kidney cancer patients. The facts are there in the research, we have also spoken first-hand to patients who have been involved in trials and the benefits of making nivolumab available through the NHS are blindingly clear. This is a red letter day for kidney cancer patients; present and future.”
Kidney cancer is a silent killer and for many the first time they hear those words are from their doctor. Be aware, look for the symptoms: persistent cough, a lump or pain in your flank, traces of blood in your urine and get checked before it’s too late.
There are many symptoms, for more information, support and guidance relating to kidney cancer visit www.kcuk.org.uk, or call our free Careline on 0800 002 9002.

• In 2013 more than 11,800 people were diagnosed with kidney cancer, that’s about 33 people each day.
• The incidence of kidney cancer has been steadily increasing in the UK, mainly attributed to lifestyle factors, such as obesity and smoking.
• In addition, an increase in the number of tumours detected when a patient has a scan for an unrelated condition may have contributed to the rise in the number of cases.
• Kidney cancer is now the seventh most common cancer in the UK and accounts for three per cent of all new diagnoses of cancer; it is the fifth most common type of cancer in men and the tenth in women.

 
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