'Avastin should be on NHS' says a survivor

Published 4 Jul 2010 15:00 2 Comments

Share this

A MUM-OF-FOUR who was given months to live believes that a banned drug saved her life.

Jilly deCruz, from Bullbrook, was diagnosed with kidney cancer in February 2009 and was able to take chemo drug Avastin and interferon injections on her private health insurance - a treatment not provided on the NHS.

Ms deCruz, pictured, who is in remission but still undergoing palliative treatment, believes that more lives could be saved if Avastin was made available to those who need it.

It is the same vital drug that Lesley Webb's family tirelessly fought to get her doctors to prescribe her before her death in February this year.

Ms deCruz, 48, said: "It is a worthwhile drug. Not providing it robs people of their years of life. The NHS should have to re-think their policy, I would not be here without it.

"Avastin is the one thing that saved my life, it is going to give me two extra years of life and I will be ever thankful for this extra time with my family."

She said that the drug is not provided on the NHS because it is expensive.

She said: "The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) say it is a high risk drug which they can not afford to give to everyone.

"They put a cost on lives really. Private health insurance was a God-send, I only took it out four months before I was diagnosed.

Avastin was recommended to her by her oncologist following an operation to remove the 17cm tumour in her kidney, as her cancer was at an advanced stage.

Mrs Webb was diagnosed with a brain tumour in October last year and with the support of the Bracknell community, more than £25,000 was raised to fund the drug through the help of doctors in America.

But it all came too late. Lesley's husband George Webb also believes that Avastin should be made available to those who would benefit from it. He said: "If we were told about it from the beginning, we would have raised the money straight away. The drug would have given something back to her." He said they only found out about the drug through doing their own research.

The family have donated the money raised for Lesley's treatment to Thames Hospicecare where she was cared for.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) provides guidance, and makes recommendations to the NHS on new and existing medicines, treatments and procedures and treating and caring for people with specific diseases and conditions.

A spokesperson for NHS Berkshire East said: "Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are legally bound to implement the recommendation of a NICE technology appraisal whilst ensuring best use of NHS resources.

"Technology appraisal 178 issued in August 2009, by NICE, does not recommend the use of a number of drug treatments including Bevacuzimab (Avastin) when used at various stages in the treatment of kidney cancer. However other treatments have been recommended by NICE including Sunitinib to treat kidney cancer.

"It is important to ensure NHS resources are used to fund the most cost effective treatments and PCTs look to NICE to recommend the best treatment options within the resources available."

On Sunday, July 11, Ms deCruz will be running 5km at Cancer Research UK's Race for Life at Windsor Racecourse with two of her daughters Hannah and Leanne.

To sponsor them visit www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/jillyannadecruz

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

dahokolomoki
1 post
Aug 24, 21:16
Report comment

Yes, Avastin does help, and some patients do get much better and beat their cancer after taking Avastin. But the odds are very low, so for every 1 success case, Avastin wouldn't be enough for countless others.

There needs to be a line drawn. Studies have shown, on average, that Avastin only prolongs the typical sufferer's like for 8 months. And the vast majority will succumb to their cancer, Avastin only prolongs the process. Is it worth spending £20k to treat every single cancer sufferer, just so one out of the x number survive? In a world of finite resources, perhaps that money might be better used to alleviate child poverty, provide resources for women and children facing domestic abuse, or even fund better public transport that will not just improve the life of one person, but many others. £20k could probably pay for an extra nurse at the hospital, which will have an impact many times that than spending £20k on a drug that doesn't even cure the majority of patients that it is given to.

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Amywww
1 post
Sep 16, 11:46
Report comment

You can sit there write that stuff when you havent seen someone you love go thought the pain they do.Anythings worth a try.If it helps them and gives them a better quilty of life then YES.Peolple like YOU make me sick,if you ever go thought what my mum and family have gone though then will see if your saying the same thing.YOU CANTNOT PUT A PRICE ON LIFE

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.

Follow @bracknellnews