Blood Cancer UK welcomes new NHS treatments for rare blood cancers

Around 200 children and adults each year are expected to benefit from two new treatments approved by NHS England through its Clinical Priorities Advisory Group (CPAG).

The treatments will be available for:

• Histiocytic neoplasms – a group of ultra-rare blood cancers that can affect both children and adults.
• Relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma – Hodgkin lymphoma that has returned or has not responded to initial treatment.

For people living with these rare blood cancers, treatment options can be limited if standard therapies stop working.

One of the new treatments - dabrafenib - is a targeted medicine for histiocytic neoplasms that can be taken as tablets or in dissolvable form, allowing many patients to receive treatment outside hospital.

The second is a new drug combination - Brentuximab vedotin and bendamustine - for people with Hodgkin lymphoma whose cancer has returned or not responded to previous treatment. NHS England believes it could help more patients achieve remission and go on to receive a potentially curative stem cell transplant.

Dr Rubina Ahmed, Director of Research, Policy and Services at Blood Cancer UK, said:

"Today's announcement is welcome news for people affected by some of the rarest blood cancers. These conditions can be particularly difficult to treat, and there have historically been few options if the cancer comes back or stops responding to treatment. Every new treatment offers renewed hope for patients and their families.
"We're entering a remarkable era for blood cancer treatment, with research transforming what's possible for patients. It's vital that people can benefit from these advances as quickly as possible, so we welcome more innovative treatments becoming available on the NHS."