A recent clinical trial has demonstrated that durvalumab, an immunotherapy drug currently used in the NHS for advanced non-small cell lung cancer, significantly improves outcomes for patients with advanced but operable bladder cancer. The study involved 1,063 participants whose cancer had invaded the muscle wall of the bladder. Patients were divided into two groups: one received the standard treatment of chemotherapy and surgery, while the other received additional durvalumab therapy. Results showed that after two years, 82.2% of patients in the durvalumab group were still alive, compared to 75.2% in the control group. Moreover, those receiving durvalumab were 32% less likely to experience cancer recurrence or progression during the study period.
Professor James Catto, co-leader of the study and a professor of urology at the University of Sheffield, described the findings as a “major breakthrough” in bladder cancer treatment. He emphasized that survival rates for advanced bladder cancer have remained stagnant for years, but the addition of durvalumab offers new hope without introducing significant side effects. The research team hopes that, following regulatory approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, durvalumab will soon become a standard component of NHS care for bladder cancer patients. Click for More Details
