A new treatment option is now available on the
NHS for cervical cancer that has come back or
spread to other parts of the body, following final
draft NICE guidance published today.
NICE has recommended cemiplimab (also
called Libtayo and made by Regeneron) as an
option for adults with recurrent or
metastatic cervical cancer that has got worse during
or after they've had platinum-based
chemotherapy, and who have not had treatment
with an immunotherapy. Around 90 adults a year are
expected to be eligible for this treatment.
Recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer has
a substantial impact on length and quality of
life. Living with the condition is physically and
emotionally exhausting, and
when the cancer recurs or spreads again,
treatment options become
increasingly limited.
Cemiplimab is a type of immunotherapy. It works
by stimulating the immune system to attack cancer
cells. NICE's independent committee concluded
that it offers a meaningful improvement
in prolonging the time before the disease gets worse and in
overall survival compared with standard chemotherapy.
Patient and clinical experts highlighted that reducing the
side effects of treatment and the frequency of hospital visits
matters enormously to those living with this
condition, particularly for those with caring
responsibilities. Evidence from the clinical trial showed
that cemiplimab gave better quality of
life results during treatment than chemotherapy, reflecting
the difference this medicine can make to everyday life.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE,
said: "A diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic
cervical cancer is devastating, and at this stage of the disease,
treatment options are limited.
Getting the best care to patients as quickly as possible is at
the heart of what NICE does. Our role is to independently assess
the evidence and ensure that treatments which make a real
difference to patients' lives are available on the NHS without
delay.
The evidence for cemiplimab shows it can extend life
and improve quality of life compared with standard chemotherapy,
and we're pleased, therefore, that we've been able to
recommend it for routine use on the NHS."
Clinical trial data from the EMPOWER Cervical-1 study showed
that cemiplimab resulted in a median survival of 11.7
months, compared with 8.5 months for single-agent
chemotherapy. At 24 months, more than twice as many patients
treated with cemiplimab were still alive compared
with those on chemotherapy.
This treatment will be available to
patients immediately via funding through the Cancer
Drugs Fund and will later switch to the
routine NHS commissioning budget 90 days after final
NICE guidance is published.
Notes to editors
- NICE's final draft guidance on cemiplimab is
available here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/indevelopment/gid-ta11850/documents
- Cemiplimab is recommended for recurrent or metastatic
cervical cancer that has progressed on or after platinum-based
chemotherapy, where immunotherapy has not previously been
received.
- A stopping rule of 16 treatment cycles has been included in
the recommendation, in line with the trial
evidence. Treatment should be stopped after 16 cycles (each
lasting 6 weeks), or earlier if the cancer progresses or there is
unacceptable toxicity.
