Women with advanced cervical cancer may be given the chance to live longer after England became the first country in the world to make the drug Avastin available on the NHS.
Avastin (bevacizumab) is already on the NHS Cancer Drugs Fund list for advanced breast, bowel and ovariancancer, but has now been added for cervical cancer.
This means women in the advanced stages of the disease could be given precious extra months of life if their cancer specialist agrees it could help them.
The drug has not yet received a licence for treating cervical cancer so is not routinely available in other countries, including the US. It has also not yet gone through the usual approval system by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35 and is on the rise. Around 2,900 women are diagnosed every year in the UK and the disease kills about 1,000 women annually.
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10 Cervical Cancer Facts
Check Your Body (01 of10)
Open Image ModalYou know your body best. If you notice any unusual changes like abnormal bleeding from your vagina, pain in your pelvis or lower back, or pain during sexual intercourse, don't ignore it. Make some time to talk to your doctor. (credit:Shutterstock)
Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices (02 of10)
Open Image ModalEat a balanced diet and try not to smoke. Smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke have both been linked to cervical cancer. If you smoke, reducing your risk of cervical cancer is yet another reason to quit. (credit:Shutterstock)
When Should You Have A Pap Test? (03 of10)
Open Image ModalYou should have a Pap test within three years of becoming sexually active, or by the age of 21. If you are currently not sexually active or have not been sexually active in years, experts suggest still getting the test. (credit:Shutterstock)
Pap Tests Should Happen 1-3 Years (04 of10)
Open Image ModalYou should have a Pap test performed every one to three years depending on previous results. If you have trouble remembering, there are a number of calender apps you can sign up for. (credit:Shutterstock)
Take The Test At The Right Time (05 of10)
Open Image ModalDoctors recommend you have the Pap test in the middle part of your menstrual cycle — that means between 10 to 20 days after the first day of your period. (credit:Shutterstock)
Don't Do It Before The Test (06 of10)
Open Image ModalDon’t have sexual intercourse 24 hours before the test, as this can affect your results. (credit:Shutterstock)
What About Hysterectomies?(07 of10)
Open Image ModalIf you've had a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus), you may still need a Pap test. Talk to your doctor for more information. (credit:Shutterstock)
Practice Safe Sex...All The Time (08 of10)
Open Image ModalThe biggest risk factor for developing cervical cancer is an infection of the cervix with human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted virus. HPV infections are quite common and most go away on their own, but some don’t. These are the infections that can lead to cancer if they aren't caught by Pap tests and treated early. (credit:Shutterstock)
Get The Vaccine (09 of10)
Open Image ModalGet vaccinated against HPV. The HPV vaccine can help reduce the risk of cervical cancer, as well as vulvar, vaginal and anal cancer. (credit:Shutterstock)
Know Your Medical History (10 of10)
Open Image ModalKnow your medical history as well as your family history, especially if anyone in your family has had cancer. However, cancer can affect anyone at any stage of life, so give yourself the best chance for survival by getting it diagnosed early. (credit:Shutterstock)
Evidence on the drug, which cuts the blood supply to tumours, shows women with advanced cervical cancer lived nearly four months extra on average if they took the drug with chemotherapy, compared to chemotherapy alone.
Professor Peter Clark, chairman of the chemotherapy clinical reference group at NHS England, said: "This new addition to the list demonstrates NHS England's commitment to achieving maximum benefit to patients from the £200 million Cancer Drugs Fund.
"The process of updating the list is led by cancer specialists, and should ensure that patients benefit quickly when new drugs become available that are backed by good evidence from trial data."
The Cancer Drugs Fund is a list of treatments approved for fast-track use on the NHS before they have gone through the usual regulatory or approval systems.
Robert Music, chief executive of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: "The addition of bevacizumab to the Cancer Drugs Fund is very positive for women who receive a late stage diagnosis of cervical cancer.
"The prognosis can often be poor. When this is the case, any extra time that can be provided through new drugs becomes extremely valuable."