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“I WAS ABLE to walk up to two miles without being totally out of breath. With chemo, I couldn’t even walk 100 yards.”
Hundreds of adults suffering from lung cancer in Ireland will now have access to a drug that has shown to significantly extend patients’ lives.
Pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb has today announced that the HSE has approved the immunotherapy drug nivolumab for use in Ireland in patients suffering from advanced lung cancer if they have already failed prior chemotherapy treatment.
About 2,500 Irish people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year, making it the fifth most common cancer in Ireland, according to the Irish Cancer Society.
The drug works by stimulating the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer.
The HSE said it is expected that there could be between 400 and 500 patients eligible for this as treatment of locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer after prior chemotherapy.
‘People can live normal lives’
Fifty-nine-year-old Meath native Norman Murray was diagnosed with stage-four lung cancer three-and-a-half years ago. after he thought he had tonsillitis. However, it was discovered that a secondary tumour from lung cancer was actually in his throat and causing these symptoms.
He has been using nivolumab for a number of years.
He initially began chemotherapy treatment but stopped it as he had very severe side effects.
“Chemo is… it’s hard to explain… as if somebody was pouring boiling acid into your veins,” Murray told TheJournal.ie.
“With chemo you couldn’t even walk, you didn’t even know if you’d be able to walk [after treatment]. Everyone is different, but the strongest people are not strong with that stuff going through you,” he said.
As the chemotherapy treatment had failed, Murray was placed on a clinical trial for the nivolumab drug. Since being enrolled on the drug, he has seen minimal side effects.
Speaking of the changes in his wellbeing after he began taking the drug, Murray said: “Your hair doesn’t fall out, you can walk up the stairs, you can walk. I was able to walk up to two miles without being totally out of breath. With chemo, I couldn’t even walk 100 yards.”
While Murray still has tumours, he said they have shrunk since beginning the treatment.
He said that the approval of the drug for lung cancer patients will have a “massive, massive” impact.
“People can live normal lives,” he said.
Other cancers
Today’s decision marks the fifth cancer type for which the HSE has recommended nivolumab.
In October 2017, the drug was approved for use in Ireland in patients suffering from advanced melanoma, advanced kidney cancer and classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
A study of kidney cancer patients in 2016 found that 40% of people treated with the combination of nivolumab and another drug ipilimumab saw their tumours significantly reduce while 10% were left with “no detectable sign of cancer” at all.
While an international study on advanced melanoma patients in 2015 found that it stopped cancer advancing for nearly a year in 58% of cases.
The HSE had been previously criticised for its delay in approving the drug.
Helen Forristal, director of nursing services at the Marie Keating Foundation said: “We welcome the news that a new treatment option for Irish patients with this advanced, devastating form of lung cancer will be available from today.
People battling cancer deserve to have access to the latest innovations in treatment available to them, and today’s decision shows great commitment to bringing a new option to those most in need.
“We believe that targeted therapies, like this treatment, will have a positive impact for patients and their families.”
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Amazing achievement. Congratulations Saoirse!
@Smidgen Dublin: it’s a great achievement for her alright but a horrible category this year.. Scarlett Johansson gave an acting tour de force in marriage story, can’t see anyone other than her winning. But, to be nominated is still amazing.
@Peter Cavey: Scarlett deserves to win, but Any Hollywood biopic nominee always gets it so it’ll be Renee
Delighted for her.
A great achievement to have so many nominations at such a young age. She comes across as really down to earth and likeable and represents Ireland well.
Just waiting for all the usual begrudgers to start commenting on her accent…
@Daragh Cassidy: in fairness its you that’s starting it.
@Daragh Cassidy: yeah what is the craic with the accent? Seeing as you mentioned it.
@Daragh Cassidy: Last sentence is your true agenda. Rest of it is filler to get you to said agenda.
Just how little were these women?
I assumed they were all under 5 feet – but I was wrong apparently!!!
Great actress but OMG ladybird was sooooo overhyped ….. sheeyte to be honest .
@Camacsaint: little women is worse. Daytime tv.
@alan: chick flick
Was gobmsacked to learn Bela from Fair City is her Father. Some family of actors. Well done Saoirse.
@Marbles: No hes not it’s another fella from fair city
@Marbles: you’ll need to fact check that one Marbles …
@Marbles: hes not
@Marbles:
I’m sure her real father would be even more shocked!
@Marbles: her father plays Anto Collins in Fair City
@Marbles: Paul Ronan’s acting career started in TV and films since the mid-’90s, notably as Edso Dowling in the Ballykissangel TV series; other TV appearances include Rebel Heart and The Tudors. But yes he did a role as Anto in Fair City a few years back. His most notable achievement along with his wife Monica, was mentoring, nurturing and developing a most fantastic young lady Saoirse.
@Marbles: stay out of the research industry
@Marbles: Best laugh so far this year. I hear Fr Michael Clearly was Donald Trumps third cousin. You might fact check that there Marbles. Gas ticket.
@Charles McCarthy: As they say, don’t ever meet your heroes, you’ll be dissapointed.
The Oscars? Yawn.
Hope she wins it.
@Pat O’Leary: couldn’t give a s**t.Her wiining won’t butter my parsnips.
Joker deserves to clean up including best actor Oscar for JP
Some achievement well done on a side note can’t see Joaquin Phoenix getting best actor after his rambling expletive laden speech at the Golden Globes .
@Bass demon: That’d be a shame. Incredible film. The cinematography was superb too.
@Bass demon: they don’t vote on best or worst acceptance speeches -which is just as well or half the oscars won would be taken back by now – he will win it because the acting in the Joker was great – he just owned the screen and would be a worthy winner in my opinion
@Dave Hammond: Not saying he isn’t worthy of it but with these PC laden shows they like the winner to keep it simple and thank God and their mother. However he might pull a Marlon Brando and send Greta Thunberg to accept the award.
@Dave Hammond: they reckon Mikey Rourke ruined his chances of an Oscar after his acceptance speech at either the Baftas or Golden Globes, can’t remember which
@Bass demon: Give him a script and he can make you believe anything. When he’s not acting he can’t string a sentence together.
Always the bridesmaid unfortunately. Not her fault….great actor
@Donnacha Bhoicaire: Don’t worry. She’ll get a Lifetime Achievement Oscar by the time she’s 35.
Fantastic to see 4 nods for Parasite – Bong Joon Ho is one of the greatest directors in the world in the last 15 years!
Great….not… saw her in an interview a few years ago… patronizing and annoying…
No nomination for De Niro?
@Cowboy Paddy: For what? Pesci can act DeNiro into a banbox.
@Cowboy Paddy: Thought Pacino stoke the show tbh, de Niro was de Niro and Pesci just stumbled thru it, have to say Joker 9 nominations!!! Thought it was a pile of shite…most left cinema with me said it was crap.
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