Breakthrough ovarian cancer drug offers patients more time and better quality of life

A breakthrough drug for ovarian cancer that is kinder on the body and extends lives is now available on the NHS.

The drug, called mirvetuximab soravtansine, is a known as a "biological missile" as it delivers chemotherapy drugs direct to the cancerous tissue rather than to the whole body - reducing debilitating side-effects.

Patricia Hill, 64, said the treatment was allowing her to do things – like visiting family and going to the theatre - that were impossible on conventional chemotherapy.

Up to 400 patients a year in England could benefit from the new treatment – the first for hard-to-treat ovarian cancer in 20 years.

There are nearly 7,750 cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year.

Patricia, from north London, was diagnosed in 2023 and had multiple rounds of chemotherapy. She started on mirvetuximab in January this year.

She said the difference was like night and day, and the therapy had given her "a lot of my life back".

She felt less tired and sick than when treated with standard chemotherapy, so felt "a lot better" and describes the drug as a "bit of a game changer".