Low UK Survival Rates Blamed on Rationing of New Chemotherapy Drugs

The rationing of new chemotherapy drugs used in fighting colorectal cancer has caused survival rates in the United Kingdom to lag behind the United States and other European countries, according to a survey by the Cancer Research Campaign.

Ninety-five percent of UK cancer doctors surveyed cited lack of access to innovative drug therapies as the main factor contributing to poor management of colorectal cancer in the UK.

In the UK, only 38 percent of patients with colorectal cancer survive more than 5 years after diagnosis, compared to 45 percent in the rest of Europe and 64 percent in the US. Drugs like irinotecan, oxalipatin and raltitrexed are limited because of rationing within the National Health Service (NHS). Only patients in clinical trials have access to these drugs.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Most patients there can get treated with 5-FU/folinic acid, the standard treatment for colorectal cancer.

"It is extremely disturbing that specialists feel the main reason for us lagging so far behind other countries in managing this disease is because newer chemotherapy treatments are not readily available on the NHS," said Professor Gordon McVie, director general of the Cancer Research Campaign.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is scheduled to make a ruling on NHS use of newer chemotherapy drugs shortly.

Other sources: Cancer Research Campaign, Reuters