In recent years, the landscape of lung cancer treatment has undergone a significant transformation, offering a glimmer of hope for thousands of patients.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has been at the forefront of this change, making 48 positive recommendations for lung cancer treatments over the past decade. This is a six-fold increase compared to the previous decade, reflecting advancements in medical research and technology.
Lung cancer remains a major health challenge in the UK, with around 95 people succumbing to the disease every day. It is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, claiming more women's lives than breast and ovarian cancer combined.
A prevalent myth about lung cancer is that it primarily affects smokers. However, experts like Dr Tom Newsom-Davis, a consultant medical oncologist at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Chair-Elect of the British Thoracic Oncology Group (BTOG), emphasise that "if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer." Approximately 15% of lung cancer patients have never smoked.
Since 2015, NICE has made 48 positive recommendations for lung cancer treatments. These include innovative approaches like targeted therapies and immunotherapy. Targeted therapies are administered as tablets and focus on specific mutations, while immunotherapy harnesses the body's immune system to combat cancer.
A significant increase in lung cancer treatment recommendations followed the relaunch of the CDF in 2016. The fund enables NICE to recommend drugs while additional evidence is gathered, facilitating wider and faster access to cutting-edge treatments. Over the past decade, 86% of lung cancer recommendations by NICE have been positive.
Despite the advancements, late diagnosis remains a critical issue. Early-stage lung cancer often presents no symptoms, and some signs can be mistaken for other conditions, especially in non-smokers. The key to improving survival rates lies in early diagnosis.
Chief Medical Officer at NICE, Prof. Jonathan Benger, said:
“NICE has produced useful and usable lung cancer guidelines to help practitioners provide the best standards of care to patients.
“We have recommended multiple lung cancer treatments that have contributed to better survival, but lung cancer remains the biggest killer among cancers in England.
“We are committed to continue focusing on what matters most to support patients, practitioners, and the NHS.”
Survival rates for lung cancer patients in the UK have shown significant improvement over the last decade. The five-year survival rate has increased from 8.6% for those diagnosed in 2005 to 19.8% in 2016. Similarly, the one-year survival rate has risen from 28.9% to 48.1% between 2005 and 2020.
To address the issue of late diagnosis, NHS England introduced lung health checks in 2019, targeting early detection. Building on this success, a national lung cancer screening program was announced last year, inviting individuals aged 55 to 74 at increased risk to undergo specialist scans.
NICE's commitment to improving lung cancer care is evident in its comprehensive guidelines aimed at helping practitioners provide the highest standards of care. While lung cancer remains the most lethal cancer in England, the expansion of available treatments and early detection initiatives offer a brighter outlook for patients.
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