First targeted treatment made available for hundreds of blood cancer patients on the NHS
Patients in England with a form of blood cancer known as marginal zone lymphoma can now be offered an additional treatment option which could halt the progression of their cancer and provide an alternative to further rounds of chemotherapy.
Zanubrutinib is the first ever treatment specifically licensed for this form of blood cancer, recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for use on the NHS from 1 August 2024.
In clinical trials, up to 80% of patients’ cancers responded to treatment with Zanubrutinib, with many of these responses expected to last for several years.
The NHS estimates that around 470 patients are set to benefit from this drug over the next three years.
NHS England used its commercial flexibilities to negotiate a deal that extends access to this treatment for people with marginal zone lymphoma.
Around 2,600 people diagnosed per year in the UK are diagnosed with marginal zone lymphoma. While the main symptom is small painless lumps in lymph nodes, this can often mean the cancer is diagnosed at a more advanced stage, when it can cause persistent tiredness and increased risk to infections.
Zanubrutinib (Brukinsa ®) will be offered to patients whose cancer has not responded well to previous treatment and can be taken either as once or twice a day capsules at home, potentially reducing the inconvenience and side-effects of intravenous chemotherapy.
What is marginal zone lymphoma?
Marginal zone lymphoma is a group of slow-growing non-Hodgkin lymphomas that develops when there is uncontrollable growth in B-cells, a type of white blood cell, which then results in tumour-development.
Some patients can become resistant to current treatments, including chemotherapy, which can also cause patients serious nausea and discomfort.
