A new treatment for an advanced form of blood cancer has been recommended for routine NHS use.
It is estimated that about 800 people with Hodgkin lymphoma – which develops in the lymphatic system, a network of vessels and glands throughout the body – could benefit from the decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
The NHS spending watchdog has recommended brentuximab vedotin, sold under the brand name Adcetris, to be used in combination with other therapies.
The treatment combines brentuximab vedotin with doxorubicin, dacarbazine and vinblastine, which is given to patients as an infusion into a vein.
🔬 Breakthrough for late-stage Hodgkin lymphoma: NICE has approved brentuximab vedotin combination therapy as the first treatment specifically for previously untreated stage 3 or 4 classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
— NICE (@NICEComms) April 2, 2025
This could benefit 800 patients per year.https://t.co/IqCwsh73nZ pic.twitter.com/5NWeu1Ewdx
Evidence suggests the combination could increase the amount of time a patient has before their disease progresses, as well as boosting overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy.
It is recommended for patients with a stage three or four CD30-positive form of Hodgkin lymphoma which was previously untreated.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at Nice, said: “Today’s recommendation represents a significant milestone for people with advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.
“Having an alternative to chemotherapy on its own is particularly important for these patients, many of whom may have been told that there is no further effective treatment available to them.
“The evidence shows brentuximab combination therapy could help increase how long people have before their cancer gets worse and potentially enable them to live longer compared with current standard treatments.”
Health minister Ashley Dalton said: “This new treatment will give new hope to hundreds of cancer patients and their families every year, at a price that is fair to the NHS.
“As part of the Plan for Change, this Government is working to make the NHS fit for the future, including by supporting the development of innovative medicines.
“Our National Cancer Plan will set out actions to fight cancer on all fronts – by improving prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research.”
