New breast cancer drug cuts death rate

The new drug costs Laurel Peterson an extra $30 a month, a big expense on a widow's benefit. Picture / Greg Bowker

A breast cancer drug not fully subsidised in New Zealand has been found to cut death rates by 29 per cent, prompting calls for it to be made fully available.

Findings released at the San Antonio breast cancer symposium in Texas last week showed benefits in replacing Tamoxifen - the "gold standard" drug treatment - with Arimidex for post-menopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer.

The new drug, an aromatase inhibitor, works by lowering oestrogen, which fuels tumours.

The latest study, carried out in women who had taken Tamoxifen for two years, found replacing the drug with Arimidex for the remainder of the five-year period not only increased survival, but also reduced recurrence by 45 per cent.

The risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body was reduced by 39 per cent.

Data came from an analysis of three international trials of similar design and scope.

Australian women have had access to Arimidex from the start of their treatment since December 1, but New Zealand Government drug-funder Pharmac wants to look at the evidence more closely.

It warned this month that the Government would need to increase its drugs budget more than planned if public patients were given new and more effective cancer treatments.

Cancer drugs alone cost the Government about $40 million annually.

Funding for aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex was extended in August to Tamoxifen-intolerant women with early stage breast cancer.

Before this, the drug was fully funded only for patients whose cancer had spread and were Tamoxifen-resistant.

Breast surgeon Belinda Scott, chairwoman of the Breast Cancer Foundation's medical committee, called on Pharmac to extend its funding.

Each year, more than 2000 New Zealand women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 600 die - a mortality rate higher than Australia's, said Dr Scott.

"We certainly think we should be starting our patients on the aromatase inhibitors and this study tells us now that we should be switching them as well."

Pharmac medical director Peter Moody said the latest research would be evaluated and passed on to its expert committees for their views.

"We have to look at the total cost of everything, but that's just the way the world is for everybody."

Takapuna resident Laurel Peterson, diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2001, has noticed a change since she was put on Arimidex in July on her oncologist's advice.

She does not experience as many hot flushes. "I get the odd one, but nothing like before."

The drug costs her an extra $30 a month - a substantial expense on a widow's benefit.

Mrs Peterson believes Arimidex should be funded completely.

Breast cancer "is a pretty traumatic thing to go through. Then you get to the other side of it, and the financial side of it kicks in".