 Using chemotherapy drugs in combination appears to work better |
People with advanced bowel cancer will now have a choice of therapy after prescribing curbs have been lifted. The NHS cost watchdog says two more chemotherapy drugs should be considered for such patients in addition to conventional 5-fluorouracil therapy.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommendations bring treatment for patients in England and Wales in line with those across Europe.
Doctors and patient groups welcomed the news.
The preliminary recommendations say oxaliplatin and irinotecan should be considered as a first choice of therapy for advanced colorectal cancer.
Oxaliplatin should be used in combination with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid, while irinotecan can be used alone as a second choice or in combination with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid as first-line therapy, it says.
Studies show that combining bowel cancer drugs can improve survival.
Dr Harpreet Wasan, consultant oncologist at Hammersmith Hospital, said: "These recommendations mean that patients and clinicians will have access to combination chemotherapy - the most effective treatment for patients with advanced colorectal cancer."
Breakthrough
Jola Gore-Booth, chief executive of Colon Cancer Concern, said: "This is the biggest and the most exciting news we have had for patients with bowel cancer in the last 50 years.
"Until now, people in the UK have only had access to 5-fluorouracil.
"Now they can have access to two other drugs like the rest of Europe.
"Patients will have access to choice that can give them extension of life and quality of life.
"We hope that this verdict is a significant first step towards patients and their carers having the best choice possible in terms of their treatment options; and that NICE will soon enable them to access the full range of treatments available."
She recommended NICE now looked at new so-called "biologic" treatments for advanced bowel cancer, such as eribtux and avastin, that are available in other countries.
Every day, 95 people in the UK are diagnosed with colorectal cancer. Half of those patients already have advanced disease.
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This is the biggest and the most exciting news we have had for patients with bowel cancer in the last 50 years
