New pill can slow progression of incurable breast cancer
A new type of drug for one of the most common kinds of advanced breast cancer is now available on the NHS in England.
Some 3,000 women a year could benefit from capivasertib after a clinical trial showed it can slow progression of the disease, and shrink tumours in a quarter of people. In trials, in 708 women, when combined with hormone therapy, the drug doubled the time the cancer took to grow, from 3.6 months to 7.3 months. It also shrank tumours in 23% of patients.
The drug has been given the green light for NHS funding by England's drug assessment body. It's one of a range of treatment options available to people whose cancer has spread and is no longer curable.
Source: BBC News, 11 April 2025