A new drug thought to slow the progression of womb cancer is being made available to some patients treated by the NHS.
Marketed under the brand Jemperli, the medical community believes the drug can improve the life expectancy of women suffering from womb cancer. Up to 200 women may be eligible to receive the drug each year after the NHS began to make it available in UK hospitals this week.
According to studies of the drug, 64% of patients who used Jemperli in conjunction with chemotherapy saw no progress in their cancer. This is more effective than treatment solely with chemotherapy.
Speaking about the introduction in the UK of Jemperli, Professor Peter Clark, the lead at the NHS England’s Cancer Drugs Fund, said: “The rollout of this drug as a first-line treatment on the NHS is great news for patients living with this type of womb cancer – this new immunotherapy could offer hundreds of women the hope of precious extra time to live well before their cancer progresses.”
Jemperli is given to patients via a drip every three weeks alongside chemotherapy. Some patients who used the drug felt it helped them go through cancer without the side effects.
“It’s a treatment that doesn’t take over my life, that enables me to plan for the future. And it gives me belief that I might see my granddaughter start school. Now I’ve finished the chemo, I feel nearly back to normal.
What is Jemperli?
Jemperli is the brand name of a drug called Dostarlimab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor. This drug works by attaching to cancer cell proteins within the human body, making it easier for the body’s immune system to detect and fight the cancer cells.
Early studies have shown that the anti-cancer medicine, when used alongside chemotherapy, was effective in some cases in slowing the progression of cancer.
Jemperli is administered to help women dealing with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, which is the fourth most common type of cancer among patients in the UK.
The NHS has fast-tracked the drug through its Cancer Drugs Fund, meaning some patients will have access to the drug as scientists collect more information on it.
In the USA, the FDA similarly approved use of the drug in 2023 after promising results.
How common is womb cancer?
According to Cancer Research UK, around 9,700 cases of womb cancer – or cancer of the uterus – are diagnosed each year. The illness accounts for 5% of all female cancer diagnoses each year.
The prognosis of womb cancer will vary depending on what stage it has been detected. Up to 75% of women who are diagnosed with womb cancer will survive their cancer for longer than five years.
