{"id":26954,"date":"2021-04-08T17:56:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T17:56:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cmshub.wpengine.com\/?p=340490"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:14:58","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:14:58","slug":"new-5-minute-injection-reduces-time-breast-cancer-patients-spend-in-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/new-5-minute-injection-reduces-time-breast-cancer-patients-spend-in-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"New 5-Minute Injection Reduces Time Breast Cancer Patients Spend in Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

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There\u2019s a lot that\u2019s unpleasant about having breast cancer, but one of the hardest things for many patients is how much time they have to spend at the hospital undergoing treatment. But hopefully, that\u2019s all about to change for many patients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, when a breast cancer patient undergoes chemotherapy infusions<\/a>, it can take up to two and a half hours per session to have the treatment done. For patients in the UK, however, a new treatment is being rolled out that takes just five minutes to prepare and administer.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Adobe Stock\/Louise<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The new treatment, called PHESGO<\/a>, is a combined injection of pertuzumab with trastuzumab, which would usually have to be given as two separate infusions. Because it only takes five minutes to prepare the mixture and inject it into the patient, it\u2019s cutting out hours of chemotherapy time for about 3,600 HER2-positive breast cancer patients each year across the country, on top of those patients currently on chemo infusions who will be switching to the new treatment. HER2-positive cancer accounts for about 15 percent of all breast cancers, meaning a large percentage of patients will be positively affected by this change.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cApproval of Phesgo being used on the NHS in England is fantastic news, as thousands of women with HER2-positive breast cancer will now benefit from a quicker and kinder treatment method,\u201d says Baroness Delyth Morgan<\/a>, Chief Executive at Breast Cancer Now. \u201cReducing the time patients need to spend in hospital, this more efficient treatment method also promises to free up precious time for healthcare professionals when the NHS is already under unprecedented strain due to COVID-19.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Clatterbridge NHS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This means nurses and doctors may be able to free up more time to see more patients or spend more time with other patients who need them. It also means patients get to spend more time at home recovering, or, if they\u2019re working, they\u2019ll be able to take less time off work for treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m currently on a combination of medications which take about an hour and a half to two hours to administer all together, and I have to go into hospital to have them every three weeks,\u201d says 51-year-old Paula Lamb<\/a>, who is receiving treatment at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre for breast cancer and secondary lung and liver cancers.<\/span><\/p>\n

She continues, \u201cIt feels absolutely amazing to be one of the first people to receive this treatment through the NHS, and it really could not have come at a better time as lockdown lifts and I can stop shielding. Having a five-minute treatment means I\u2019ll have more time to get out on walks, for my gardening, knitting, and to help my daughter practise her cricket skills. It\u2019s a real life-changer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: YouTube\/Clatterbridge NHS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The new treatment also significantly reduces cancer patients\u2019 risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus<\/a>, because it cuts down on the amount of time they\u2019ll spend around other people in the hospital. Since the start of the pandemic, 228,000 people have begun NHS treatment for cancer in the UK, and there have been double the number of cancer procedures during that time as there were COVID-19 patients. This is proof that cancer should be a top priority and deserves treatment breakthroughs like this one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe NHS has continued to adopt new treatments rapidly throughout the pandemic, to improve cancer care for patients,\u201d says Peter Johnson<\/a>, NHS national clinical director for cancer. \u201cThis new injection, which can substantially cut treatment time for people with breast cancer, is the latest in a series of changes which have meant the NHS has been able to deliver vital cancer treatment while keeping patients safe from COVID.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Photo: Adobe Stock\/Nomad_Soul<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He continues, \u201cI am delighted that this is now available to people having breast cancer treatment, limiting the time they need to spend in hospital and giving the NHS another way to continue treating as many cancer patients as possible, as we have done throughout the pandemic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

PHESGO may also be taken on its own or alongside traditional chemotherapy, which may make treatment more effective for difficult cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

We hope that the PHESGO rollout will continue to go well in the UK and that it will be able to spread to other countries soon. The massive reduction in strain it could have on patients and on the healthcare system is something to look forward to for sure!<\/span><\/p>\n