Early breast cancer drug approved by health institute

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has approved a drug for treatment in early breast cancer.

A draft version of the institute's guidance recommends that Taxotere be used as post-surgery treatment for those who are in the early stages of disease.

Nice is the UK government's drugs watchdog.

Nice's recommendation is that Taxotere-based combination chemotherapy should be used after surgery.

The final version of the guidance is expected to be issued next month, after a consultation period.

About 200 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Malta every year. Last year, 71 women succumbed to the disease, and 61 died of breast cancer last year.

A five-year international study of the drug - manufactured by Sanofi Aventis - found it can cut deaths by 30 per cent and stop cancer returning in 28 per cent of cases.

The pharmaceutical company said six out of 100 of women with early node-positive breast cancer (a cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes) could be saved annually by the new treatment.