Outlined today by NICE, Osimertinib (also known as Tagrisso) will now be recommended as an additional treatment for people with EGFR mutation-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgery on the NHS.
The drug is taken as a daily pill alongside chemotherapy to help prevent cancer from returning and has been available in the Cancer Drugs Fund since January 2022. It has also been available on the NHS for those diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer for a number of years. It’s thought around 600 people in the UK will benefit from the decision.
Diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, Kayte has been on Osimertinib since 2023 and is still living well on the drug.
“The doctors thought I might have Thoracic Endometriosis until a PET scan finally revealed my lung cancer with a further biopsy revealing an EGFR positive mutation.
“Finding out that I was eligible for Osimertinib was amazing. The fact that this one little pill had the capacity to shrink my tumours and in effect ‘put my Cancer to sleep’ was astonishing.”
Two years on, she is still living well with lung cancer thanks to her “wonder drug”. Read her full story here. We’re hopeful that the news today means that more people can live longer without recurrence thanks to Osimertinib.
What is EGFR?
EGFR is a common gene mutation in non-small-cell lung cancer, which causes abnormal cell growth. Osimertinib targets cancerous cells that have EGFR mutations to help prevent the cancer from coming back after surgery.
A clinical trial comparing Osimertinib with a placebo found people who have Osimertinib have less chance of their cancer coming back.
“I am pleased we have been able to recommend that this targeted treatment for a specific gene mutation of lung cancer will be routinely available on the NHS.
“Previously the only treatment for people with this gene mutation of lung cancer where the tumour has been surgically removed was chemotherapy so I know patients will welcome this additional option.
“At NICE we are determined to constantly learn from data and implementation and the information gathered during this drug’s time in the CDF and further clinical studies mean we can make this positive recommendation.”
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE
Osimertinib is the latest lung cancer drug to be recommended by NICE, but in the last ten years NICE has made 48 positive recommendations for lung cancer treatments, six times more than in the previous decade.