United Kingdom, 16-sept-2025: Hundreds of patients with a fast-growing form of lung cancer will soon gain access to a new treatment, after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) approved the use of durvalumab, also known as Imfinzi, on the NHS.

The immunotherapy, developed by AstraZeneca, has been recommended for adults in England with limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This type of cancer is confined to one side of the chest and has not progressed after chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Around 1,000 people are diagnosed with limited-stage SCLC in England each year, and NICE estimates that more than 500 could benefit from the new treatment.

Small cell lung cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of the disease, spreading quickly through the body. While many patients are diagnosed only after the cancer has metastasised, about 30% have limited-stage disease, where radiotherapy remains an option. Until now, there have been no approved maintenance treatments for patients who respond to initial therapy, with most left under active monitoring once chemoradiotherapy was complete.

Durvalumab, delivered intravenously every two to four weeks, is designed to help the immune system recognise and destroy cancer cells. Results from a major clinical trial showed patients taking the drug lived significantly longer than those given a placebo. Median overall survival was nearly 56 months for those receiving durvalumab, compared with just over 33 months for the placebo group. Progression-free survival also improved, with patients on durvalumab averaging 16.6 months before their cancer worsened, compared with 9.2 months on placebo.

The approval marks the first major treatment breakthrough in over two decades for limited-stage SCLC. By providing a new maintenance option, durvalumab offers fresh hope of longer survival and improved quality of life for patients facing this difficult diagnosis.

In the official press release by NICE, Helen Knight, director of Medicines Evaluation at NICE, said: “I am very pleased we have been able to recommend this effective new treatment for a highly aggressive form of lung cancer with limited treatment options.
“This is a devastating disease with a poor prognosis, so a drug proven to improve the length and quality of people’s lives, giving them more precious time with their family and friends, is most welcome."

In the same press release, Paula Chadwick, chief executive of Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation, said: “This decision offers a huge step forward for people diagnosed with limited-stage small cell lung cancer, a disease where progress has been desperately overdue.
“For more than two decades, patients with this form of lung cancer have faced the same treatment options with little change in outcomes. Now, there is a treatment that can extend survival and give people more precious time with their loved ones."

The approval of durvalumab signals a long-awaited turning point in the treatment of limited-stage SCLC, bringing renewed hope to patients, families, and clinicians after decades of stalled progress.