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'Every minute counts when it comes to new ovarian cancer treatment'

Angus Harronand
Eve Hughes,BBC News NI
News imageChristine Campbell A woman, Christine Campbell, sitting in a chair in a clinical setting. She is holding a sheet with information about ovarian cancer and there is medical equipment around her. she is wearing a white top and dark trousers and is wearing glasses. She is smiling.Christine Campbell
Christine Campbell was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2021

Almost three years after being told her ovarian cancer was terminal, Christine Campbell says every minute is "precious" to her.

That is why she says a new drug which has been approved by the medicines watchdog could be another "lifeline" for patients like her in Northern Ireland.

The breakthrough drug - mirvetuximab soravtansine - has been approved for certain patients by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and NHS England says it will pay for the drug.

But while Stormont's Department of Health tends to also follow NICE treatment recommendations it does not necessarily mean this new drug will be readily available for patients in Northern Ireland.

There are nearly 7,750 cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year.

Mirvetuximab soravtansine is the first new medicine for hard-to-treat ovarian cancer in 20 years, and has proven both to be kinder on the body and extend lives.

It can only be used for patients with ovarian, peritoneal and fallopian tube cancer if chemotherapy no longer works and if the cancers have the right markings.

Christine, who is from Dundonald, currently uses a different drug called Avastin, but says it is a "miracle" that there could now be two options.

"In July 2023, I thought there was no hope for me. Here we are... years later and a second drug has come on the market in the UK", she told Good Morning Ulster.

"When you are a life-limited patient, every minute counts.

"And because it is a targeted therapy, with less side effects, the quality of life will actually be better than the normal chemotherapy route.

"I'm on my fourth line of chemotherapy, so if my current drug was to stop working, there is the possibility that I could access this drug, which is a miracle in itself.

"I would love to see it become available in Northern Ireland".

News imageChristine Campbell A woman, Christine Campbell. She is sat inside, smiling, wearing a mustard yellow coat, a purple scarf, a stripey woolly hat and glasses. She is holding an ice cream on a cone with a circle wafer slice in it and multicoloured sprinkles. In front of her on the table is a napkin with cutlery on it and a tub of ice cream with multicoloured sprinkles, sauce and a circle wafer slice on top. Christine Campbell
Christine says she is happy using her current drug, which is different to mirvetuximab, but has welcomed the development of another option for patients

How does the drug work?

The treatment is known as a "biological missile" as it delivers chemotherapy drugs direct to the cancerous tissue rather than to the whole body - reducing debilitating side-effects.

On average, it can extend lives from 12.8 months on chemotherapy to 16.5 months on the therapy, and has fewer side-effects.

Women are able to keep their hair and it is given by a drip every three weeks, instead of weekly with conventional chemotherapy.

"Who doesn't want extra days or weeks or months? Every minute is precious", said Christine.

"A seven or eight month extension may not sound like a lot of time, but it is for terminally-ill patients."

News imageAn infographic titled “How new cancer treatment works” explains a targeted therapy combining antibodies and chemotherapy drugs to attack cancer cells. At the top left, a diagram labels two components: a “Chemotherapy drug” shown as small red shapes, and an “Antibody” shown as a Y‑shaped grey structure. At the top right is a diagram of a “Cancerous cell,” shown as a large circular cell with a textured interior and a central nucleus, surrounded by a red outer edge. Below, the process is shown in four numbered steps with diagrams: “Antibodies carrying the toxic drug stick to a cancerous cell.” Small grey antibody shapes with attached red drug molecules are shown attaching to the surface of a large cancer cell. “The antibody‑chemotherapy pairing is absorbed.” The cell begins to engulf the attached antibody‑drug complexes, shown moving into the cell. “The antibodies break down inside the cell, releasing the drug.” Inside the cell, the antibody structures are shown breaking apart and releasing the red drug particles. “The cell dies.” The implication is that the released drug kills the cancer cell. The diagrams use simple colours: grey for antibodies, red for drug particles and the outer cell membrane, and beige tones for the cell interior. Arrows connect the stages to show progression. At the bottom, the source reads “BBC research,” with BBC branding in the corner.

"I would like to see it rolled out in Northern Ireland as quickly as possible", Christine said.

"For the people who would benefit from it, other options may have run out and they will need that extra lifeline".

Will patients in NI get the drug?

Analysis: Marie-Louise Connolly - Health Correspondent, BBC News NI

Ultimately it is the Department of Health (DoH) in Northern Ireland who will decide whether a new drug that is approved by NICE will be made available to local patients.

While NICE has no direct statutory authority in Northern Ireland, the DoH routinely reviews NICE guidance and typically endorses and adopts it for the Health and Social Care (HSC) system.

But there are numerous examples where families and patients have accused the DoH of dragging its feet when it comes to making a decision.

Usually, it is down to funding.

Once NICE decides about licensing a drug, in NI there can be a lengthy process of protocols that local health officials follow before deciding how the drug will be administered, who is able to get it after consultations with patients' consultants and then whether it has the necessary funding to purchase the drugs.

It rarely is a speedy process.

What has the department said?

The Department of Health said it has a "formal link" with NICE and that the body's appraisals "are reviewed locally for their legal and policy applicability in Northern Ireland".

"Where found to be applicable, they are endorsed for implementation within Health and Social Care (HSC) organisations." a statement added.

"This link has ensured that Northern Ireland has access to up-to-date, independent, professional, evidence-based guidance on the value of health care interventions.

"In practice, this means that treatments that have been recommended by NICE for routine use in the NHS in England are also available in Northern Ireland."