A groundbreaking new drug has been approved on the NHS, and it could benefit hundreds suffering from one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
It’s been revealed this week that NHS bosses have struck a deal with the manufacturers of the drug pembrolizumab, and have now been given the greenlight to treat around 1,600 patients in England who are suffering from triple negative breast cancer – which is one of the rarest and most aggressive forms of the disease.
Triple negative breast cancer accounts for around 15% of all cases, and is responsible for a quarter of all breast cancer deaths.
According to the charity Breast Cancer Now – which promotes cancer research, and offers support to sufferers – triple negative breast cancer is a particularly common form in those under 40, black women, and those who have inherited the BRCA gene.
Triple negative breast cancer patients have a shorter survival time than those with other forms of the disease, and typically, the risk of it returning and spreading to other parts of the body in the first few years after treatment is higher than for other cancer suffers.
ADVERTISEMENT
But now, scientists say that for those taking the new drug – which is a form of immunotherapy, and will be used alongside chemotherapy before surgery – the likelihood that the cancer will disappear, and the time before cancer returns, will increase.
Pembrolizumab will be one of just a few treatments that currently exist for triple negative breast cancer.
ADVERTISEMENT
Up to 1,600 of those affected by high risk triple-negative breast cancer a year are set to benefit from access to the treatment, called pembrolizumab, on the NHS.
Amanda Pritchard, the chief executive of NHS England, said the rollout of pembrolizumab – which she called “an innovative, potentially life-saving treatment” – was “fantastic news”, and said that it represented “a hugely significant moment for women”.
“It will give hope to those who are diagnosed and prevent the cancer from progressing, allowing people to live normal, healthy lives,” she added.
Breast Cancer Now has also hailed the approval of the new treatment.
“This new treatment can potentially lead to any detectable cancer disappearing by the time of surgery, meaning patients will then possibly face less invasive, breast-conserving surgery,” said Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive of Breast Cancer Now.
“By significantly reducing the likelihood of breast cancer recurring or spreading to other parts of the body where it becomes incurable secondary breast cancer, this treatment brings precious hope of more lives potentially being saved from this devastating disease.”
Rival Manchester fans urged to use different Wembley travel routes for FA Cup final
Emily Sergeant
Football fans from rival Manchester clubs heading to watch the FA Cup final this weekend are being urged to take different travel routes to each other.
In preparation for what is set to be a massive day for our city, where Manchester United and Manchester City face each other in an all-Manchester final of the Emirates FA Cup at Wembley Stadium this Saturday, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has now issued some urgent travel advice for fans.
With it being the first time the two Manchester clubs have battled it out for the trophy in the final in the 151-year-old football competition’s illustrious history, tens of thousands of fans are expected to make the journey down to the capital.
But with this influx of excitable rival fans, admittedly, comes a set of challenges.
This is why The FA and TfGM have decided to introduce some measures, and issue travel tips and guidance, in a bid to make sure everyone stays safe, while still soaking in all the atmosphere of the historic day at the same time.
Due to what TfGM has called “significant” coordinated strike action by rail unions RMT and Aslef on Saturday, all supporters heading to the FA Cup final are advised to avoid trains and “consider alternative travel arrangements” instead – making sure to allow “additional time for travel” and planning their journeys “ahead of time”.
Fans are also being asked to check the road network carefully, as it’s also highly likely that traditional routes to Wembley will be “busier than normal” as a result of rail strikes.
It's the first EVER all-Manchester FA Cup Final on Saturday [3 June – 3pm KO].
As fans make their way from Manchester to London on Saturday morning, we expect congestion on the region's roads & in the city.
— Transport for Greater Manchester 🚲🚶🏾♀️ (@OfficialTfGM) May 31, 2023
The FA has confirmed that it will be providing 60 coaches for both Manchester clubs to help supporters get to Wembley and return to Manchester once the game has finished, but aside from this, TfGM has suggested that “anyone without an official match ticket should not travel to the game”.
The two Manchester clubs have been advised to encourage fans to use separate travel routes to each other to avoid clashes, and a list of service stations for each team has now also been published – confirming all the rumours to be true.
Allocation of motorway service stations
Manchester City supporters
Lymm
Sandbach
Stafford
Norton Canes
Corley
Rugby
Watford Gap
Northampton
Newport Pagnell
Toddington
London Gateway
Manchester United supporters
Knutsford
Keele
Hilton
Warwick
Cherwell Valley
Oxford
Beaconsfield
Manchester United and Manchester City will battle it out for the FA Cup title this Saturday 3 June / The FA
When it comes to the travel routes supporters of each team are advised to take, TfGM is urging Manchester City fans to take the M62/M1 as the first port of call, or taking the M6/M1 or M6/M6 Toll/M1 as a back-up option.
Manchester United supporters are encouraged to take the M6/M42/M40.
On top of information on travel routes and service station allocations, TfGM has also shared tips for matchday parking, tube travel around London, and more.
Two teens arrested after death of 21-year-old man found with ‘serious injuries’ in Old Trafford
Emily Sergeant
Two teenage boys have been arrested following the death of a 21-year-old man who was found with “serious injuries” in Manchester.
The arrests come after Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called to reports of a “disturbance” at an address on Kings Road in the Old Trafford area of Manchester at around 7:45pm yesterday evening (Wednesday 31 May), where a 21-year-old victim was found seriously injured.
Despite the best efforts of the first responders, the young man was sadly pronounced dead at the scene, GMP confirmed.
Following the incident, additional police officers have been deployed to the Old Trafford area.
It has now also been confirmed by GMP that two teenage boys have been arrested in connection with this incident – a 15-year-old on suspicion of murder, and a 16-year-old on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in the nearby area.
Both remain in custody ahead of questioning.
#ARREST | Police arrest murder suspect in Old Trafford.
At 7:45pm last night (31/5/23) GMP were called to reports of a disturbance on Kings Rd, Old Trafford.
A 21-year-old man was found with serious injuries & sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) June 1, 2023
A murder investigation has now been launched, which GMP says is currently in the “very early stages”, and police are urgently appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information or footage which may assist with this.
“A team of experienced officers will be working throughout the night and over the coming days to understand a timeline of events that will help us piece together what has happened,” explained Detective Superintendent Jane Higham.
“We recognise that incidents of this nature will cause concern in our communities, not just in Old Trafford, but across Greater Manchester, and as a result there will be a visible increase of police officers in the area over the coming days whilst detectives investigate.
“Anyone with any concerns is encouraged to come and speak to us.”
Additional officers have now been deployed to the Old Trafford area / Credit: GMP
DS Higham is urging anyone who was in the Old Trafford area at the time of the incident yesterday evening, or anyone who has mobile, dashcam, doorbell, or CCTV footage that may be of interest, to contact us GMP as “even the smallest piece of evidence may help with our investigation and provide answers for the young man’s family”.
Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP on 101 quoting log number 3367 31/5/2023.
Emily Sergeant -
8th November 2022 
