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Hewitt fast-tracks Herceptin to save 1000 lives
Oct 8, 2005, 05:52, Reviewed by: Dr.
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�Herceptin has the potential to save many women�s lives and I want to see it in widespread use on the NHS. Today I am asking Professor Mike Richards to ensure that the facilities are put in place to enable women who require it to be tested. I want the licence for Herceptin to be granted as quickly as possible, without compromising people�s safety, and to be available within weeks of the licence being given.�
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By Department of Health, UK,
Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Health, has announced that women who are diagnosed from this week onwards with early stage breast cancer will have the opportunity to be treated with the drug Herceptin. This means that the lives of around 1000 women a year will be saved � the same number of lives saved by the NHS national breast cancer screening programme for roughly the same cost.
Patricia Hewitt said that from today all women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer will be tested for suitability for treatment with Herceptin. As soon as Herceptin receives a licence it will be fast-tracked for use throughout the NHS.
The National Cancer Director Professor Mike Richards is meeting the medical directors of the NHS Cancer Networks on Thursday to ensure that the new testing service is ready as soon as possible.
Of the 35,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer each year, about 20,000 will be suitable for HER2 testing. From this group of 20,000 women, about 5,000 women may benefit from Herceptin. The drug could save around 1000 lives a year, at an annual cost of about �100 million.
Patricia Hewitt said:
�Herceptin has the potential to save many women�s lives and I want to see it in widespread use on the NHS. Today I am asking Professor Mike Richards to ensure that the facilities are put in place to enable women who require it to be tested. I want the licence for Herceptin to be granted as quickly as possible, without compromising people�s safety, and to be available within weeks of the licence being given.�
�I share the huge frustration of many women about the delays in getting Herceptin licensed. I am determined to take action, and this represents a major step forward in our fight against cancer.� 
- Department of Health, UK
www.dh.gov.uk
1. The HER2 test assesses whether a particular patient's breast cancer has a specific receptor (the HER2 receptor) on the surface of the cancer cells. If this receptor is present the patient may benefit from Herceptin. Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody which attaches itself to the HER2 receptor, thereby blocking it. This can destroy the cancer cell.
2. The test itself involves a sample of the cancer (a thin tissue slice) being stained with a special immunohistochemical stain and then being examined in a histopathology laboratory under a microscope. A small percentage of cases with borderline findings need to be further assessed by a more specialised technique called Fluorescent Insitu Hybridisation (FISH).
3. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is an independent organisation with responsibility for the provision of national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health. As part of its work NICE produces guidance to the NHS on the clinical and cost effectiveness of new and existing medicines, treatments and procedures within the NHS.
4. Herceptin: Herceptin (Trastuzumab) is not yet licensed for the treatment of early stage breast cancer. Trastuzumab is an anti-neoplastic agent currently in Phase III trials as an adjunct to the standard treatment for early (operable) breast cancer. Trastuzumab is already licensed for patients with metastatic breast cancer whose tumours over-express HER2 as a single agent for second and third line treatment, in combination with paclitaxel as first line therapy and in combination with docetaxel as first line therapy.
5. In a statement released on 22nd September, pharmaceutical company Roche, makers of Herceptin, said its application for a licence will be made to the European Medicines MEA in February 2006, with a subsequent decision anticipated by July 2006 at the earliest.
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