Cancer drugs recommended by NICE

NICE has recommended that capecitabine, in combination with a platinum-based regimen, becomes a new first-line treatment for inoperable advanced gastric cancer. It also recommends gefitinib as an option for the first-line treatment of people with locally advanced or metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer if they test positive for the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR-TK) mutation.

Dr Carole Longson, director of the health technology evaluation centre at NICE, said: “Oral capecitabine-based regimens are at least as effective as the other fluorouracil-based regimens currently used to treat gastric cancer. Patients also need fewer visits to hospital with capecitabine, because the treatment is with tablets, rather than an infusion pump. This guidance is good news for gastric cancer patients who have inoperable tumours.”

On recommending gefitinib, Dr Longson said: “Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK, with around 38,000 people diagnosed every year. Non-small-cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for around 80 per cent of all cases. NICE has already recommended a number of treatments for this condition and we are pleased to add gefitinib as an option for patients and their clinicians to consider.

“Gefitinib offers an advantage because it is taken in tablet form, can be taken at home, and would allow patients to carry on with normal daily activities. This draft is now with consultees who have the opportunity to appeal against the proposed recommendations before final guidance is published later this year.”

The manufacturer proposed a patient access scheme where the drug is provided at no cost for patients who are treated for up to two months and, for all other patients’, gefitinib would be available at a single fixed cost irrespective of the duration of treatment.

In line with the NICE technology appraisals process this draft guidance is now with consultees, who have the opportunity to appealagainst the proposed guidance. NICE has not yet issued final guidance to the NHS. Final guidance is expected to be published in July 2010.

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