Get the biggest stories sent straight to your inbox Sign up for regular updates and breaking news from WalesOnline Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A drug which provides hope to pancreatic cancer patients will continue to be made available on the Welsh NHS.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) decided not to recommend Abraxane for use within the NHS in England or Wales in October 2015.

But in light of a “clear clinical need” for 400 to 500 pancreatic cancer patients in Wales, the Welsh Government has reached an agreement with Abraxane’s manufacturer Celgene to secure continued access for Welsh patients.

Treatment options limited

Health Minister Drakeford said: “I’m pleased to confirm the Welsh Government has finalised an access agreement with Celgene to enable continued availability of Abraxane for Welsh patients with pancreatic cancer.

“This agreement recognises that current treatment options are limited and the prognosis for patients is often poor.”

Read more:

In September 2014, the All-Wales Medicines Strategy Group (AWMSG) appraised Abraxane for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and recommended it as a treatment option in NHS Wales.

It has been available to patients with pancreatic cancer in Wales, who meet the clinical criteria, since.

But NICE subsequently appraised Abraxane and published its decision not to recommend its use.

'It's the reason my husband's alive'

David Johnson, from Cilcain, near Mold, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2013 and after receiving three rounds of chemotherapy.

He began treatment with Abraxane in 2015 and since then his wife Carole believes her husband’s symptoms and the progress of his disease are under control. His latest CT scan shows that the cancer has shrunk.

Carole said: “We are delighted with the news that pancreatic cancer patients in Wales will be able to continue access to Abraxane.

“This treatment is the reason that my husband is still alive today and allowed us to spend precious time together, which we may not have had if he wasn’t able to access Abraxane.

“Pancreatic cancer is such a horrific and aggressive disease – it is such a relief for patients that this new treatment in almost 20 years isn’t going to be taken away from them.”

Read more:

'Small but significant step forward'

Dr Kein Yim, clinical oncologist, added: “It has been nearly two decades since a breakthrough in the treatment of metastatic pancreas cancer emerged, based on the largest international randomized phase III study of its kind published in 2013.

“Wales was the first to make Abraxane widely available in the UK in 2014, and brings it to the forefront of 21st century development in the treatment of advanced pancreas cancer.

“However, this chemotherapy which is given together with a companion drug called Gemcitabine, is only suitable for patients of reasonable fitness.

“Despite this small but significant step forward, the outlook of pancreas cancer nevertheless remains modest compared to other cancer types and a lot more work needs to be done.

“It is hoped that more research and development will be possible to ever keep abreast of providing the best outcomes for our patients.”