Published

by

Sarah Yeoman at 6:00am 18th August 2020.

Cancer doctors in Cornwall and across the South West have welcomed the roll out of ‘Covid-friendly’ treatments.

The NHS has announced that the cancer treatments will be expanded and extended through a £160 million initiative.

The funding will pay for drugs that treat patients without having
such a big impact on their immune system or offer other benefits such as
fewer hospital visits.

Thousands of patients have already benefitted from almost 50
treatments approved for use as ‘swaps’ for existing drugs and more will
be available, thanks to a series of deals struck between the NHS and
pharma companies.

Some of these new options mean that patients can take tablets at home
or receive medicines with fewer side-effects instead of undergoing
hospital-based treatment that can leave them more susceptible to
coronavirus and other infections.

Targeted hormone therapies such as enzalutamide for prostate cancer
and broadened use of lenalidomide in the treatment of myeloma - bone
marrow cancer - are among the options now available for clinicians and
patients.

The funding for Covid-friendly drugs is just one of the innovations
adopted by the NHS to care for patients since the first case of
coronavirus was confirmed in this country on January 31st.

The introduction of ‘111 First’ has provided help and advice to
millions of patients over the phone and internet, ensuring those who
need medical help are directed to the right services.

Remote consultations have spared many more unnecessary trips to the
doctor’s surgery or outpatients clinic, with more than 500,000 GP online
consultations a week.

Covid-secure cancer hubs have been set up to safely provide surgery for those who need it.

“Many thousands of patients have benefited from a list of about
50 drugs and that scheme has now been extended with further drugs added.

"This is good news for cancer patients as it means they can continue on their treatments or for some start new treatments”.

Dr Bryson Pottinger, Associate Director for Cancer Services, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

New analysis shows that these less risky but effective cancer
therapies have been given to almost 2,000 people during the first few
months of the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing their treatment to go ahead
when it might otherwise have been delayed or not safe to give at all.

“Since the first case of covid in England six months ago, NHS
staff have fast tracked new, innovative ways of working so that other
services, including A&E, cancer and maternity could continue safely
for patients and it is thanks to these incredible efforts that 65,000
people could start treatment for cancer during the pandemic.

“We are now adopting new, kinder treatment options which are not
only effective but safer for use during the Covid-19 pandemic and more
convenient for thousands of patients, who can take medication at home or
be given medicines with less harmful effects on their immune system.”

Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive

Other treatment options now available include:  

• Venetoclax in acute myeloid leukaemia as an oral alternative to more toxic standard chemotherapy
• Nivolumab for patients with bowel cancer whose cancers have a specific genetic fingerprint
• Ixazomib in myeloma as an oral alternative to treatment which would require more hospital visits and injections
• Atezolizumab as first-line immunotherapy for bladder cancer instead of chemotherapy.

Funding will ensure that thousands of patients can continue to
receive safe, effective and kinder treatment during the pandemic, often
with fewer hospital visits.