New Zealand women with early stage HER2 positive breast cancer are being forced to make a terrible choice. Interim trial results for the drug Herceptin, published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) today, show a 46% reduction in the risk of their cancer recurring if treated with standard chemotherapy followed by Herceptin.

Whilst these results bring hope to all women with HER2 positive early breast cancer they also bring profound despair as Herceptin is not readily available to them in New Zealand.   Herceptin is currently only government funded in New Zealand for women with advanced HER2 positive breast cancer. A course of treatment with Herceptin costs $70,000 - $120,000 per annum. Thus women with early stage HER2 positive cancers now must choose either to find the money to optimise their chances of living, or go without and accept the risk of a worse outcome. Breast cancer when it recurs is almost always incurable. Some are selling their family homes, borrowing from friends or family or fund-raising. Others simply cannot find the money.

Consumer group the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition (BCAC) believes the government has a moral and social obligation to provide immediate interim ‘off label’ funding for these women while Herceptin undergoes the approval process for use and funding in New Zealand. The BCAC understands that governments in France and Canada have made Herceptin available ‘off label’ prior to registration and urges the new Minister of Health, Pete Hodgson, to follow their lead.

HER2 positive breast cancer is a more aggressive form of the disease and affects 20-30% of women with breast cancer. Appropriate and timely treatment in the early stages can dramatically improve chances of long-term survival. Three international trials published today in the NEJM incorporating patients from across the world have all shown an approximate halving of the risk of breast cancer recurrence with the addition of Herceptin to standard chemotherapy for early stage HER2 positive breast cancer.  BCAC chairperson Libby Burgess says “These results are extraordinary and it is hoped that these early benefits will translate into more women being cured in the long term”

Roche Products (New Zealand Ltd) is to work with government pharmaceutical funding agency PHARMAC to approve Herceptin in New Zealand for use and funding for early stage HER2 positive breast cancer. This process could take over 14 months. The BCAC believes women with newly diagnosed HER2 positive early stage breast cancer will be seriously disadvantaged in the meantime and such a situation is totally unacceptable.

Ms Burgess says that increased spending on cancer drugs may actually save money in other areas of health by treating patients more effectively and earlier, therefore preventing recurrence of cancer.  This not only eliminates unnecessary worry and suffering by patients but also makes economic sense because people can return to being productive members of their families, their workplace and our society.  She argues that it makes sense to give people the most effective treatment early in their disease when there is the greatest chance of saving lives.

New Zealand has a 28% worse breast cancer mortality rate than Australia. The BCAC believes this is, in part, attributable to poorer access to the best pharmaceutical treatments. The BCAC urges the Minister of Health to provide interim funding for Herceptin. This will cost approximately $30 million. The BCAC asks the Minister to consider the point of spending $80 million on a superannuation top-up when a significant number of New Zealand women may never live to see retirement.

About the Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition
BCAC was formed in November, 2004. Twelve New Zealand breast cancer organisations came together at a forum with the intent to create one group, presenting a unified voice to advocate and lobby for change, improvement and innovation on behalf of all New Zealand women suffering from breast cancer. The group is currently working on four major initiatives – supporting the National Breast Cancer Register, supporting the Breast Screen Aotearoa programme, improving access to pharmaceutical treatments for breast cancer and advocating for a consistency of high quality care throughout the country.

The HERA trial is one of the largest breast cancer trials ever conducted involving more than 5,000 patients in 39 countries including New Zealand.