Treatment cuts cancer relapse risk

Treating a common immune system cancer as a chronic disease can halve the risk of relapse over two years, a study has shown.Researchers tested a £600-per-month "maintenance therapy" for patients with follicular lymphoma.
By The Newsroom
Published 21st Nov 2010, 21:14 BST

The approach involved continued treatment with low doses of the targeted antibody drug rituximab.

After two years, 82 per cent of patients who received the two-monthly maintenance therapy were still symptom-free. Their likelihood of relapsing was half that of patients not given continuing treatment.

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Around 1,200 patients took part in the French-led Prima trial, the largest ever to investigate the condition, which affects more than 15,000 people in the UK.

All started off being treated with rituximab plus standard chemotherapy.

European regulators have now approved use of the drug, marketed as MabThera, as a maintenance treatment. However, it is not yet known if the approach will be adopted by the NHS.

First it has to be assessed by the National Institute for health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) which judges the effectiveness of new treatments in England and Wales.

A key consideration will be cost. Maintenance therapy with rituximab works out at 611 per month, or 7,332 a year.

Related topics:NHS