Last month Dr Rohit Lal, Independent Oncology’s specialist in Thoracic cancers, had expressed his concern at the decision by NICE to withhold funding for Tarceva® (erlotinib) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when first-line treatment fails. Along with many consultant oncologists and patients alike, he was concerned at the implications of this decision for patients and their treatment for lung cancer.

So it is encouraging to see that the huge wave of opposition to the decision has had an effect with the news that NICE have proposed a revised preliminary decision which reverses its decision to restrict access to Tarceva® (erlotinib) in second-line NSCLC. This U-turn will benefit around 2,000 patients per year.

Erlotinib, manufactured by ROCHE, was approved by NICE for use on the NHS in 2002 and has since become the standard of care for relapsed NSCLC, with 60% of clinicians choosing to prescribe the targeted treatment over chemotherapy. In February, NICE issued an Appraisal Committee Document announcing that it would be limiting access to erlotinib after a review of the existing guidance found that the drug no longer met the NICE criteria for clinical and cost-effectiveness.

Following consultation with patients, clinicians and the drug’s manufacturer, NICE has modified the draft guidance to allow the continued use of erlotinib on the NHS for relapsed NSCLC. The decision gives clinicians the freedom to prescribe the treatments that they feel are most suitable for their patients.

Clinicians, patients and the public have until 29th April1 to voice their approval for the revised preliminary NICE decision. It is expected that NICE will issue its final decision by September. NICE is not re-reviewing its guidance recommending first-line treatment with erlotinib.

Lung cancer is responsible for 6% of all UK deaths and is the biggest cancer killer in Britain. Over 43,000 new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, resulting in over 35,000 deaths annually.

Read our earlier blog about Tarceva®