Health chiefs are first in country to back drug

HEALTH bosses in the region are the first in the country to approve funding for a life-extending cancer drug.

The decision by the Northern Cancer Network (NCN) means that 11 NHS patients with a rare form of gastrointestinal cancer will be the first in England outside of a clinical trial to be treated with the drug.

The network, which represents hospitals and primary care trusts across the North-East and Cumbria, has agreed to allocate £130,000 to pay for 11 patients in the region to be treated with recently licensed drug Sutent.

It has also been licensed to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer, but in this case the drug is being used to slow the progress of a rare form of cancer known as a gastrointestinal stromal tumour (Gist).

The decision was welcomed by Newcastle General Hospital consultant oncologist Dr Mark Verrill.

He said: "We are very pleased that we are able to offer this new drug to patients. Before Sutent was developed, there was one other drug which could slow down tumour growth in Gist patients.

"Being able to prescribe Sutent when the other drug stops working should help to prolong people's lives."

He said the fact that the Northern Centre for Cancer Treatment at Newcastle General Hospital was one of four UK centres to take part in the international trials of Sutent for Gist treatment had helped to secure funding.

He said: "We had experience of the drug in the clinical trial, which gave us greater understanding of the potential benefits and pitfalls."

Dr Verrill said the decision by the Northern Cancer Network showed that the North-East NHS did not need to wait for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) to approve new cancer drugs.

He said: "The North-East is a national leader in its ability to fund new drugs. We are ahead of the game and we can be very proud of that."

On average Gist patients given Sutent live an extra six months.

The NCN has a good track record on approving new drugs ahead of Nice.

Recently, it became the first in England to pay for kidney cancer patients to be treated with Sutent and lung cancer patients to be treated with Tarceva.

It was also the first in England to agree to pay for mesothelioma patients to be treated with new drug Alimta.

Source - The Northern Echo

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