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BBC News
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Barrow's Dave Day 2 weekend as road closures in place
Road closures and barriers have been set up ahead of Dave Day 2, which is being held in memory of Hairy Bikers presenter Dave of bikers are expected to travel again to Barrow, Cumbria, to celebrate the life of the 66-year-old TV chef, who hailed from the town and died from cancer last Jason Woodcock - known as Woody - said people "were getting very excited" for the weekend and Furness Council warned several roads into Barrow would be "very busy" across Saturday, with crowd barriers placed in the town centre along the route. Last year's event, which saw more than 20,000 bikers travel from London, raised £127,000 for charities the NSPCC and the Institute of Cancer Research."Lots of people are getting very excited... We're really looking forward to doing this again," Mr Woodcock told BBC Radio two-day event involves entertainment on Saturday and Sunday as well as a concert and a charity football match, with tickets priced £10 for each event."It's going to be a whole weekend of togetherness," Woody added. The council warned of wider congestion around junction 36 of the M6, with Dave Day motorcyclists expected to arrive in Barrow from route of the procession travels via the A590 from the M6, turning left on to Park Road at entry into Barrow and proceeding to the town centre through Abbey council said that while it was not involved in co-ordinating the event, it was working alongside emergency services to ensure public safety and minimise community impact. "To ensure everyone's safety, please remain behind the barriers and do not step into the road or try to 'high-five' the passing bikers," a spokesperson continued. The council said there would be designated crossing points that people should use, with help from marshals and signage displayed about the procession. National Highways advised motorists to "allow more time for their journeys and to plan ahead, with thousands more bikers than usual expected on the motorway network over the weekend"."It is anticipated the M6 will be particularly busy, especially at Knutsford Services, where motorcyclists travelling from the south will gather before completing their journeys north," a spokesperson said. National Highways added that extra traffic officers would patrol at key locations. Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Medscape
05-06-2025
- Business
- Medscape
Catching Resistance Early: Can New Breast Cancer Drug Help?
CHICAGO — Can spotting an emerging ESR1 mutation early and changing first-line drugs before progression improve outcomes in patients with hormone receptor (HR)–positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative advanced breast cancer? Interim findings from the SERENA-6 trial suggest that may be the case. Patients who switched from a first-line aromatase inhibitor to camizestrant, an investigational next-generation oral selective estrogen-receptor degrader, at the first signs of an emerging ESR1 mutation demonstrated significantly improved progression-free survival compared with those who continued their initial regimen. Notably, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing allowed investigators to identify ESR1 mutations, which emerge at the time of disease progression in about 40% of patients on a first-line aromatase inhibitor and lead to treatment resistance. Camizestrant, which has shown activity in patients who develop ESR1 mutations, helped improve first-line outcomes and has 'potential to become a new treatment strategy,' according to co-principal investigator Nicholas Turner, MD, PhD, professor and honorary consultant in medical oncology at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital, London, England, who presented the findings at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 annual meeting. Results were simultaneously published in The New England Journal of Medicine . This trial also demonstrated 'the clinical utility of ctDNA monitoring to detect and treat emerging resistance in breast cancer,' said Turner. While praising the findings, others were not convinced that the SERENA-6 results warrant a change in practice yet. 'Based on first-line progression-free survival alone, this could represent a new regulatory approval path,' said invited discussant Angela DeMichele, MD, of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. But, DeMichele cautioned, 'I cannot recommend the SERENA-6 strategy at this time.' One key reason, DeMichele noted, is that it's too early to tell whether this strategy improves overall survival. If camizestrant is approved based on progression-free survival and quality of life, DeMichele wondered, is it worth going through the ctDNA testing process if the drug doesn't help patients live longer? Paolo Tarantino, MD, a breast oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School in Boston, echoed this sentiment in a tweet on X: 'Outstanding results, though not ready for clinical practice (yet),' adding that it will also be 'important to take into account financial, psychological, and systemic costs of the strategy.' Using ctDNA to Track Resistance In the study, 3256 patients who had received at least 6 months of treatment with aromatase inhibitors and CDK4/6 therapy (palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib) received ctDNA testing with Guardant360 CDx every 2-3 months at the time of routine staging exams. Overall, 315 patients who had an ESR1 mutation detected and had no radiologic evidence of disease progression were randomly assigned to either switch from the aromatase inhibitor to 75 mg of camizestrant daily (n = 157) or continue their aromatase inhibitor/CDK4/6 regimen (n = 158). (An additional 233 patients who had an ESR1 mutation detected were not included for a variety of reasons, including disease progression and consent withdrawal.) At the planned interim analysis, the median progression-free survival was 16.0 months in the camizestrant group and 9.2 months in the aromatase inhibitor group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.44; P < .00001). At 24 months, only 5.4% of patients who had continued their initial first-line treatment had not progressed compared with 30% of patients on camizestrant. The progression-free survival findings were consistent across clinically relevant patient subgroups. Patients who switched to camizestrant also showed improved time to deterioration in global health status and quality of life — a median of 23.0 months vs 6.4 months in the aromatase group (aHR, 0.53). At the time of the interim analysis, overall survival data were immature, with 20 deaths in the camizestrant group and 19 in the aromatase inhibitor group (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.48-1.73). As for time to second progression, there were 38 events in the camizestrant group and 47 events in the aromatase group, but the findings were also immature. As for adverse events, 60% of patients in the camizestrant group had a grade 3 or higher event, 10% of which were deemed serious compared with 46% in the aromatase group, 12% of which were serious. Neutropenia (45% vs 34%, respectively) and anemia (5% in both groups) were the most common grade 3 or higher adverse events. Only 1% of patients on camizestrant discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Overall, Turner concluded that 'for people with HR-positive advanced breast cancer, the results of SERENA-6 show that camizestrant plus CDK4/6 inhibitor could be a new treatment option to use at the point of ESR1 mutation detection during treatment with first-line aromatase inhibitor plus CDK4/6 inhibitor — but before the cancer grows.' Despite the promising findings, DeMichele highlighted several key unanswered questions and challenges. Notably, will this strategy lead to longer overall survival and demonstrate clinical utility? Overall survival and time to second progression are currently not known, DeMichele said. The trial did not address whether first-line treatment gains would be lost if camizestrant was given in the second-line setting after anatomic progression. DeMichele also noted the high cost and potential anxiety associated with serial ctDNA testing. Overall, 'the full complement of financial, psychological, and systemic costs is needed to fully assess utility and feasibility for implementation,' she added. SERENA-6 was supported by AstraZeneca. Turner disclosed consulting or advisory roles with AstraZeneca, Exact Sciences, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Guardant Health, Inivata Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Pfizer, Relay Therapeutics, Repare Therapeutics, and Roche. DeMichele disclosed a consulting or advisory role with Pfizer.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘Transformational' new breast cancer drug could halt the growth of tumours
A new drug has been shown to halt the growth of certain breast cancer tumours, potentially delaying the need for chemotherapy, according to a new study. The Serena-6 trial found that camizestrant is effective in stopping cancer cells from using hormones to grow. One professor described the drug as representing "a pivotal moment in breast cancer care". Scientists said the trial marked the first global study demonstrating that early detection of cancer resistance through blood tests can significantly benefit patients. The study focused on patients with hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, which accounts for approximately 70 per cent of all cases. The results indicated that patients treated with camizestrant experienced a 56 per cent reduction in cancer progression compared to those receiving standard therapies. Doctors used a blood test to identify changes in the cancer's DNA, which signal the potential failure of current treatments. Upon detecting these signs, some patients were administered camizestrant, while others continued with their standard treatment. Those on camizestrant had their cancer stay the same and not get worse for much longer, 16 months on average, compared with about nine months for the others. The drug was safe for most patients but 1 per cent stopped taking it because of side effects. More than 3,000 patients from 23 countries took part in the study, which was funded by AstraZeneca and co-led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in London. Co-principal investigator Professor Nick Turner, group leader in molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the drug is 'a pivotal moment in breast cancer care'. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research said: 'The results of the Serena-6 trial represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine.' About 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year and 11,500 will die from the disease, The Institute of Cancer Research said. The Serena-6 trial results were to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago on Sunday. Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study is a clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment. 'By tracking tiny traces of tumour DNA in the blood, researchers were able to spot early signs of treatment resistance and switch therapies before cancer had a chance to grow. 'It shows how circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA, could help doctors make smarter, more timely treatment decisions. 'This approach could become an important part of how we personalise care for people with advanced breast cancer.'
Western Telegraph
01-06-2025
- Health
- Western Telegraph
New drug can help stop certain breast cancer tumours early, trial shows
A trial called Serena-6 shows that camizestrant stops cancer cells from using hormones to grow, which helps patients stay well longer and delays the need for chemotherapy. It is the first worldwide study to show that using blood tests to find early signs of cancer resistance to treatment helps patients, scientists say. The study looked at patients who had hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, which is about 70% of cases. The results of the Serena-6 trial represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine Professor Kristian Helin, Institute of Cancer Research Results showed patients given camizestrant reduced their chances of cancer progression by 56%, compared with just standard therapies. Doctors used a simple blood test to spot changes in the cancer's DNA that show whether current treatments might soon stop working. When they found these signs, some patients were given camizestrant, while others stayed on their usual treatment. Those on camizestrant had their cancer stay the same and not get worse for much longer, 16 months on average, compared with about nine months for the others. The drug was safe for most patients but 1% stopped taking it because of side effects. More than 3,000 patients from 23 countries took part in the study, which was funded by AstraZeneca and co-led by researchers at The Institute of Cancer Research in London. This study is a clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment Dr Catherine Elliott, Cancer Research UK Co-principal investigator Professor Nick Turner, group leader in molecular oncology at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said the drug is 'a pivotal moment in breast cancer care'. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research said: 'The results of the Serena-6 trial represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine.' About 55,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year and 11,500 will die from the disease, The Institute of Cancer Research said. The Serena-6 trial results were to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago on Sunday. Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study is a clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment. 'By tracking tiny traces of tumour DNA in the blood, researchers were able to spot early signs of treatment resistance and switch therapies before cancer had a chance to grow. 'It shows how circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA, could help doctors make smarter, more timely treatment decisions. 'This approach could become an important part of how we personalise care for people with advanced breast cancer.'
Sky News
01-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News
'Transformational' new drug could stop breast cancer tumours before they grow, trial finds
A new drug could stop some breast cancer tumours from using hormones to grow, a trial has found. Results from the Serena-6 trial, carried out with the Institute of Cancer Research in London, suggest that using camizestrant could help patients stay well longer and delay the need for chemotherapy. According to Cancer Research UK, the drug works by blocking oestrogen from getting into the breast cancer cell, which researchers hope can then stop or slow the growth of cancer. Breast cancer patients given the drug in the trial reduced their chances of the disease progressing by 52% compared to standard therapies. Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of the Institute of Cancer Research, said the results "represent more than a clinical milestone, they represent a transformational shift in how we approach precision medicine". Co-principal investigator Professor Nick Turner also called the development of the drug "a pivotal moment in breast cancer care". 1:48 The study, funded by AstraZeneca, looked at patients with hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer - about 70% of cases. More than 3,000 patients from 23 countries took part in phase three of the trial, which saw doctors use blood tests to detect changes in the cancer's DNA to see which treatments were ineffective. For those taking camizestrant, their cancer stabilised for around 16 months on average, compared with about nine months for other treatments. However, 1% of patients taking the new drug stopped taking it because of side effects. Further results from the Serena-6 trial will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago on Sunday. Cancer Research UK reports that breast cancer is the most common type of the disease, with around 56,400 women and around 390 men diagnosed in the UK each year. The trial was also the first worldwide study to show that using blood tests to find early signs of cancer resistance to treatment helps patients. Dr Catherine Elliott, director of research at Cancer Research UK, praised the breakthrough as a "clear example of how blood tests are starting to transform cancer treatment". "By tracking tiny traces of tumour DNA in the blood, researchers were able to spot early signs of treatment resistance and switch therapies before cancer had a chance to grow," she added. "It shows how circulating tumour DNA, or ctDNA, could help doctors make smarter, more timely treatment decisions. "This approach could become an important part of how we personalise care for people with advanced breast cancer."
