England's NHS introduces 7-minute 'under the skin' cancer treatment

This new method allows cancer patients to receive the immunotherapy drug 'Atezolizumab' through an injection, as opposed to intravenous administration which can take up to an hour

The United Kingdom's National Health Services (NHS) has introduced the world's first "under the skin" injections as a part of cancer treatment that can reduce the treatment time by three quarters, according to a report by Reuters. This technique will allow eligible patients in the country to receive the immunotherapy drug Atezolizumab through an injection instead of intravenous administration, cutting the time of the entire procedure to just seven minutes.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave their stamp of approval on this innovative technique, following which the NHS announced on August 29.

Atezolizumab, also known as Tecentriq, is an immunotherapy drug manufactured by Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche. Its mechanism involves bolstering a patient's immune system to identify and eradicate cancer cells. Traditionally, the drug is administered through an intravenous. This method of administration can last up to an hour and prove challenging for certain patients due to issues with vein access. The current NHS protocol offers transfusion-based treatment for various cancers, including lung, breast, liver, and bladder.

According to the Reuters report, Dr Alexander Martin, a consultant oncologist at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, highlighted the impact of this approval, stating, "This will not only provide more convenient and faster care for our patients but will also enable our teams to extend their care to more patients throughout the day."

As the newly introduced injection method is expected to require a mere seven minutes, drastically reducing treatment durations, this new approach is anticipated to offer patients more efficient and convenient care and to afford cancer care teams additional time.

Marius Scholtz, the Medical Director at Roche Products Limited, elaborated on this, "Compared to the current method of intravenous infusion, the new approach takes approximately seven minutes, a significant reduction from 30 to 60 minutes."

According to a report by the Guardian, Prof Peter Johnson, NHS England's national director for cancer, reiterated the importance of finding the most advanced and efficient treatment for cancer. He added that this method would free up time for the chemotherapy units at the NHS while also ensuring the "best possible quality of life" for patients.

The report noted that this faster treatment option came at no extra cost to the NHS due to "existing commercial deal negotiation with the manufacturer Roche."

NHS England is optimistic that most of the nearly 3,600 patients beginning atezolizumab treatment each year in England will transition to the time-saving injection method. However, patients undergoing intravenous chemotherapy alongside atezolizumab may continue receiving treatment via transfusion-based administration. This innovative step not only marks progress in cancer care but also holds the promise of improving patients' lives and streamlining healthcare services.