20th May 2025

International Clinical Trials Day 2025: Life-extending breast cancer treatment available on NHS thanks to Welsh research

This International Clinical Trials Day (20 May 2025), we are sharing the story of Farhana Badat, whose involvement in a groundbreaking clinical trial, led by Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff and supported by Health and Care Research Wales, has led to the approval of a new drug which can slow the progression of incurable breast cancer.

Farhana can still remember the moment she was told that she had six months to live.

The former postmistress, from Newport, had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. By 2016, it had spread to her bones. She was offered a choice between aggressive chemotherapy or participating in a new, unknown clinical trial which had the potential to slow the progression of the cancer and extend her life by months – or perhaps even years.

Farhana didn’t want to undergo chemotherapy. And, with her second granddaughter due to be born, taking part in the trial felt like the best option – it offered a chance, at least, to see her family growing and spend more precious moments with those that she held dearest.

Recalling the moment she was first diagnosed, Farhana said: “I remember a single tear running down my face. I felt a lot of disbelief.

“I told my husband I didn’t want to have chemotherapy. Initially he was shocked, but taking part in the trial felt like the right decision for me.”

Farhana was enrolled on the FAKTION trial, led by Velindre Cancer Centre in partnership with AstraZeneca and Cardiff University. Last month, Capivasertib, the medication being tested, was approved for use on NHS patients in England and is due to be rolled out to Welsh NHS patients as early as this summer.

The FAKTION trial showed that Capivasertib can slow progression of incurable breast cancer, extending patients’ lifespan by months and even years.  It is taken as a tablet, twice a day, with minimal side effects compared to the often-gruelling impact of chemotherapy, meaning it benefits patients’ quality of life, too.

Around 75% of breast cancer is oestrogen-receptor positive, meaning it responds to hormone therapy. However, over time the cancer can become resistant to the medication and begin to grow. In the trial, Capivasertib was shown to work alongside a standard hormonal therapy, Fulvestrant, by blocking the activity of a protein, AKT, which has been shown to contribute to resistance to hormone therapy.

Farhana said she was “very proud” to have played a part in developing this game-changing treatment in the fight against cancer.

She said: “Once I had got past the sixth treatment, the median for the trial drug at that point, I became more confident that things were getting better and began to feel a lot more hopeful.

“It is now eight and a half years on from when I started the trial and, thanks to God, I’m doing well. When I started the trial my second granddaughter had just been born; now I have six grandchildren, all of whom I absolutely adore. Taking part in the trial has given me that time to be able to see them grow up and for my husband and I to visit so many new places. It has given me perspective on life and encouraged me to enjoy every day.

“I am still in touch with one of the other trial participants. We were both on it for a long time and developed a strong friendship. It feels amazing to have both gone through the experience together.

I feel really proud that the medication will soon be available on the NHS. Thanks to the trial someone else will get this and it will really help them, like it has helped me. It makes me feel good to have helped in a way that will help other people too.”

Professor Rob Jones, Assistant Medical Director for Research at Velindre, Professor of Medical Oncology at Cardiff University and Chief Investigator of the FAKTION trial said,

The FAKTION trial was developed and led by the team at Velindre and we are proud of the pivotal role of this Welsh-led research in getting us to this point.

“Not only have we shown that Capivasertib has the potential to give patients a very significant extension in their lifespan but we can also select out those patients who are most likely to benefit from the treatment by carrying out genetic tests on their cancer tissue. Patients’ quality of life on treatment is also better compared to undergoing chemotherapy.

“Approximately 40% of metastatic breast cancer patients could benefit from this medication, which equates to thousands of patients in the UK and millions globally each year. None of this would have been possible without the contributions of trial participants like Farhana, who have helped make this treatment a reality.”

Dr Nicola Williams, National Director of Support and Delivery at Health and Care Research Wales, said, “As the national organisation overseeing clinical trials delivery in Wales, we are working hard to ensure that more patients can access more clinical trials, by building up our capacity and capability and working with all of our partners to set up trials quickly, so that we have the most time to recruit Welsh people. By attracting more studies to Wales, we can create more opportunities for patients to become involved, which means that ultimately, today’s research has an impact on tomorrow’s care.

In the last year, more than 15,000 participants have taken part in over 500 active high quality research studies in over 30 different specialties, giving us vital knowledge about new ways, or the best way, to treat particular illnesses.

“As we celebrate International Clinical Trials Day I’d like to pay tribute to everyone involved in delivering clinical trials across Wales, whether they are a researcher, a member of the NHS, a partner in industry or a patient like Farhana. Everything you do is allowing us to carry out high quality studies to improve people’s health and change lives.”

As to the importance of taking part in research, Farhana said, “Nobody knows how long each of us will be around but if you can give something back it’s lovely. This is my way of giving back and to make a difference towards not only my own health but for others in the future.”