A local cancer centre is now the first in the country to provide a new type of breast cancer treatment that can “significantly improve” survival rates.

Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, based in Northwood, is now using the new targeted drug treatment Trodelvy, following positive clinical trials.

The trials indicate that the drug can significantly improve the survival rates of breast cancer patients left with limited treatment options.

It is intended to be used for people with a less common triple-negative breast cancer, which often appears in women under the age of 40 and is known to be fairly difficult to treat.

While the drug is licenced, it is not approved for routine use in the NHS yet – Mount Vernon is instead using the treatment through an early access scheme after submitting an urgent request.

Carly Francis, a 35-year-old patient from Ruislip, will be using Trodelvy and said: “I’m incredibly grateful to the team at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre who acted so quickly to enable me early access to this new treatment.”

“I have been through a lot of different treatments since my original diagnosis of triple negative breast cancer in March 2018. It has been incredibly tough. I now have very few and limited treatment options.

“I was aware of Trodelvy through my own research but knew it was not widely available in the NHS for some months. In my situation every day counts and early access to this new treatment has really given me some hope.”

Dr Amy Guppy, consultant medical oncologist and joint chemotherapy lead at Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, said: “Trodelvy has shown really exciting results in clinical trials, meaning patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancer like Carly have a better chance of living longer and spending more time with their loved ones.

“We are delighted therefore to be able to offer this promising drug through Gilead’s early access scheme.”