First new breast cancer drug for a decade is available on NHS – and it extends life by three months

THOUSANDS of women will benefit from the first new breast cancer drug available on the NHS for a decade.

It comes after a health watchdog rejected the previous 10 treatments for routine use for being too costly or ineffective.

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Eribulin gives patients with advanced breast cancer an extra three months, compared to conventional therapies.

It is expected to benefit around 1,500 women a year.

Charities welcomed the draft decision by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to approve the life-extending chemotherapy drug.

But warned the system needs reforming after 10 other treatments were turned down.

Baroness Delyth Morgan, head of Breast Cancer Now, said: “This is immensely positive news.
“Eribulin is the first breast cancer drug in a decade to be approved and this represents real progress for certain patients in England.

It offers a crucial life-extending alternative for patients whose breast cancer has become resistant to other therapies, and for those with triple negative disease, who desperately lack treatment options

Baroness Delyth Morgan, head of Breast Cancer Now

“It offers a crucial life-extending alternative for patients whose breast cancer has become resistant to other therapies, and for those with triple negative disease, who desperately lack treatment options.

“But the real tests are still yet to come.”

Around 50,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast tumours.

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A third of these will go on to develop advanced – or metastatic – cancer, with an average life expectancy of two years.

Professor Carole Longson, from NICE, said: “The life expectancy of people for whom eribulin is licensed is short, and quality of life is very important.

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“We are therefore pleased to be able to provisionally recommend eribulin as an additional option for people with advanced breast cancer.”

The medication had previously been available through the Cancer Drugs Fund – but it will now be routinely available across the NHS in England.

Patients across Wales are also likely to benefit as the Welsh NHS normally follows suit.

Eribulin has been available in Scotland from earlier this year.