Macmillan's Response To NICE Decision On Liver Cancer Drug

Main Category: Liver Disease / Hepatitis
Also Included In: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 03 Sep 2010 - 1:00 PDT


Responding to the decision by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) not to recommend sorafenib (Nexavar®) as a treatment for advanced liver cancer, Mike Hobday, Head of Campaigns at Macmillan Cancer Support, said:

'We are extremely disappointed that NICE has decided not to recommend sorafenib as a treatment for people with advanced liver cancer.

'It is a scandal that the only licensed drug proven to significantly prolong the lives of people with this devastating disease has been rejected, leaving them with no treatment options.

'It's time to rethink the way new cancer drugs are assessed to ensure fairer access to drugs for people with rarer cancers.'

Notes

- This is the final appraisal determination (FAD) on sorafenib for the first line treatment of advanced and metastatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

- Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the main type of primary liver cancer and approximately 85% of primary liver cancers are this type. HCC is usually confined to the liver, although occasionally it spreads to other organs. It's more common in men and occurs mostly in people with cirrhosis of the liver. There is a rarer sub-type of HCC called fibrolamellar HCC, which usually occurs in younger women and isn't related to previous liver disease.

- The evidence submitted to NICE assumes that around 700 patients a year could receive sorafenib.

- sorafenib has been rejected because it is not deemed to be a cost-effective treatment. The drug is valued at £52,600 per 'quality adjusted life year' - a measure that takes into account the quality - as well as the length - of a treatment's benefit.

- sorafenib was recently turned down as both a first and a second line treatment for renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer).

- Consultees have until 3 December to submit an appeal to NICE on this topic. If appeals are received and upheld there will be an appeal meeting. If no appeals are received this will become final guidance for the NHS in England and Wales, which must be implemented within three months. Macmillan Cancer Support has been working with the British Liver Trust on this appraisal and will not be appealing this decision.

Source:
Macmillan Cancer Support

• Additional
• References
• Citations