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New Cervical Cancer Treatment Offers Hope
25 Jun
Summary
- Immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab improves survival rates for cervical cancer patients.
- The treatment will be offered on the NHS starting Thursday, June 25, 2026.
- Clinical trial participant Louise Broadbelt is alive today thanks to the new treatment.
A new cervical cancer immunotherapy treatment, pembrolizumab, will be available on the NHS starting Thursday, June 25, 2026, offering renewed hope for patients. This innovative therapy works by releasing the immune system's brakes, allowing it to fight cancer more effectively.
Louise Broadbelt, 55, a participant in a 2021 clinical trial, expressed her immense gratitude for the pembrolizumab treatment. Diagnosed with Stage 3 cervical cancer, she feels "incredibly blessed and lucky" to still be alive today thanks to her participation.
Clinical data indicates that after two years, 68% of patients receiving this immunotherapy alongside standard treatment were still alive without cancer progression, compared to 57% who received only chemoradiotherapy. Approximately 550 individuals are expected to be eligible for this new treatment over the next two years, with around 3,300 new cervical cancer diagnoses occurring annually.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) approved pembrolizumab on Thursday, and its inclusion on the Cancer Drugs Fund may allow some patients to access it earlier in their treatment journey. This development follows research highlighting near-zero cervical cancer death risks for children vaccinated with the HPV vaccine at 12 or 13 years old.
