A new drug targeting tumours in breast cancer patients is now available on the NHS in Scotland – but testing to determine who would benefit from the treatment is not available in the country.
The Scottish Medicines Consortium has approved two new drugs, Elacestrant and Capivasertib, which could be life-extending for some people with metastatic breast cancer.
Eligibility depends on genetic testing to confirm gene mutations before treatment can be prescribed. But that isn’t yet available on the NHS in Scotland.
It’s raised concerns of a ‘postcode lottery’ as the testing is available to patients in England and those who can afford to pay for it privately.
Claire O’Donnell, who was first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 37, has been critical of the move.
Ten years on from her diagnosis, she is grateful to be on a treatment that works for her, but she has no idea when that treatment will stop working.
And she’s worried for other men and women with secondary breast cancer who are running out of time.
She told STV News: “I know how lucky I am. It’s certainly not been easy but I’m incredibly lucky and incredibly privileged to be in that position. I’ve watched a lot of my friends die, and a lot of the circumstances has been about not being able to access a drug or getting the drug too late or being too poorly by the time the drug becomes available to them. It makes me angry, and it makes me sad.”
Claire, who has been supported through her cancer journey by secondary breast cancer charity Make 2nds Count, is frustrated by the gap in care that exists for patients in Scotland.
She said: “These drug are a lifeline to people. It makes all the difference, and it only takes one drug to be your drug that you know can give you six months a year, two years, five years. It’s almost like they’ve given you a bit of good news, but they’ve also put a little bit of a criteria on it that you know they dangle the carrot in front of you.”
David Cameron, Professor of Oncology at Edinburgh University and Chair of Trustees for Make 2nds Count, said the NHS is “fragmented internally” and said the system needs improving to best support patients.
He said: “It’s a frustration for many of us in the clinic because for a long time we’ve been saying as we move into an era of medicines, not just cancer medicines, but medicines that are increasingly driven by special tests, we need a system which absolutely locks the two things together.
“There has been progress in that direction, but they’re not locked together. this comes down to the way the NHS is in a sense fragmented internally.”
The health secretary Angela Constance said: “I welcome the acceptance of Elacestrant, known as Korserdu, for treatment of post-menopausal women, and men, with a certain type of advanced breast cancer. We work closely with the independent SMC and the NHS in Scotland to improve access to new medicines, helping to expand the range of treatment options available.
“We are aware that a genomic test is needed in order to access this therapy, and we are working in collaboration with the NHS and industry partners to secure access to this as soon as possible.”
For many of those living with metastatic breast cancer, as soon as possible may not be fast enough.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
