Nuclear Oncology

Cáncer drugs NHS (National Health System) has caused controversy in the country with his announcement to no longer provide patients with kidney cancer four drugs that can prolong his life arguing that they are too expensive.

But the response was immediate from patients with the disease have already stated that the decision taken by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, which will apply in England and Wales, condemn many patients to a ” early death. ”

Although not cure the disease when it is in an advanced stage, these drugs can extend life for patients with advanced kidney cancer by up to two years. The four drugs in question are Sutent (sunitinib), Avastin (bevacizumab), Nexavar (sorafenib) and Torisel (temsirolimus).

These modern treatments ‘target’, with a different mechanism of action of chemotherapy. Precisely these products are those that are revolutionizing worldwide funding of cancer treatments and forcing authorities to consider how to pay your large bill.

The NICE (a public body decides from 1999 on public funding of medical devices) as posing excessive spending for British health, estimated at 24,000 pounds (30,200 euros) per patient per year, and offer no good value for money.

“Although these drugs are clinically effective, regrettably in terms of costs can not be borne by the NHS resources,” said the director of NICE, Professor Peter Littlejohns,

In this regard, Pat Hanlon, the organization ‘Kidney Cancer UK’, dedicated to the fight against kidney cancer, said that the decision will have “a devastating impact on patients.”

And Professor John Wagstaff, Cancer Institute of South Wales, “This decision means that the UK will have the worst survival rates in Europe in this type of cancer.”