The drug will be used for early stage breast cancer cases

Aromasin has been passed by the Scottish Medicines Consortium for early stage breast cancer sufferers.

It is the third such drug to be approved by the SMC in as many months, following Taxotere and Arimidex.

Charity Breast Cancer Care said that the "postcode lottery" of different access across the country could not be allowed to continue.

The drug is not likely to be rubber-stamped for patients in the rest of the UK before November 2006.

Breast cancer patients in Scotland are much more likely to receive satisfactory treatment Prof Tim Cooke Director of surgery for Glasgow

Aromasin, also known as exemestane, is claimed to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back by a third and of cancer in the other breast by half.

The once-daily oral medicine is for post-menopausal patients and works by shutting down the oestrogen production which fuels cancer cell growth.

It is prescribed south of the border, but only for patients in the advanced stages of the disease.

Taxotere was approved for NHS Scotland patients in October and Arimidex in September.

Review call

But those treatments are not due to be considered by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) until at least next year.

The latest announcement sparked renewed calls from charities to review the use of breast cancer drugs.

Lorraine Dallas, of Breast Cancer Care, said: "The SMC decision does yet again highlight that patients' access to drugs can vary across the country.

There are thousands of women in the rest of the UK who could also benefit Arlene Wilkie Breast Cancer Campaign

"The government cannot allow such a postcode lottery to continue."

Arlene Wilkie, of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: "It's good news that Scotland is once again taking the lead in approving an effective breast cancer treatment.

"However, there are thousands of women in the rest of the UK who could also benefit from wider access to treatments like Aromasin."

Professor Tim Cooke, medical director of surgery for Glasgow, said: "Breast cancer patients in Scotland are much more likely to receive satisfactory treatment because of the availability of Aromasin and the other drugs."

Aromasin is likely to gradually replace Tamoxifen for treatment of post-menopausal breast cancer patients.