National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said that 10,000 breast cancer patients who are in their early stage of the disease would be given free access to Taxotere, a chemotherapy drug.
This drug was initially given to those suffering from late-stage breast cancer. Statistics said that this initiative would save more than 600 lives of patients suffering from breast cancer. The guidance comes nine months after the Scottish equivalent of Nice, the Scottish Medicines Consortium, approved the use of Taxotere for Scottish women in the early stages of the disease.David Miles, consultant oncologist at London Bridge hospital, said that this drug has the potential to prevent the deaths of hundreds of women with breast cancer. He said that this is an important step taken towards the treatment of early stage breast cancer in the UK. Numerous clinical trials confirm that Taxotere-containing regimens are very effective in the treatment of breast cancer. Hence from November every primary care trust will be obliged to offer the drug to breast cancer patients whose cancer has spread to their lymph nodes.
