New cancer drugs have shown clinical benefit, but disparities in national health technology assessment outcomes hinder patient access. In the UK, prices for some common drugs increased by over 1000% between 2011 and 2016.
A new immunotherapy, pembrolizumab, has shown significant activity against mucosal melanoma tumors and prolonged survival in patients with bladder cancer. The treatment demonstrated a response rate of 16% and improved overall survival rates compared to chemotherapy.
A team of researchers has identified the earliest-acting protein needed for cell division, which is critical for organizing cell division in animals. The discovery, made using roundworms, revealed a key advance in understanding centriole duplication, a process vital to cell division and cilia function.
Researchers predict that melanoma death rates will decrease by 2050 due to the aging of populations, but the number of deaths may increase. Effective treatments could lead to a further decline in mortality rates.