Cancer mum hails new list

TASMANIAN women suffering from an aggressive subtype of breast cancer now have greater access to two targeted anti-cancer therapies, with the drugs Perjeta and Kadcyla recently added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.

Of the 14,000 Australian women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, about 20 per cent have the HER2-positive type, including Janelle Chilcott, of Dromedary.

Ms Chilcott, who was diagnosed in 2008 and began regular Kadcyla treatments two years ago, spoke at a Parliament House breakfast function in Canberra last summer urging the Federal Government to make both drugs more affordable.

She said she was thrilled more Australian women would now be joining her in gaining access to the drugs.

“This means so many more people like me will be able to access these treatments, which is so targeted and so much better than a lot of the other treatments out there,” the 35-yearold mother-of-one said.

“Because the Kadcyla goes straight to the cancer cells, there are far less side-effects than other chemo.”

Ms Chilcott, who visits hospital every three weeks to receive Kadcyla intravenously, said that while her advanced breast cancer was terminal, her symptoms felt under control with her current treatment regimen.

Oncologist Professor Fran Boyle, from Sydney’s Mater Hospital, said the decision to make Perjeta and Kadcyla available on the PBS was a result of ongoing collaboration between the Federal Government, specialists, patient groups and industry.

“While it has taken almost two years for these therapies to be made widely available, we are thrilled that Australian women with advanced HER 2positive breast cancer will finally have the same affordable access to these cancer treatments as women in many other countries,” Prof Boyle said.

“Breast cancer has been at the forefront of cancer research, and we have been fortunate to see so many advances in the treatment of this disease.

“Sadly the disease still takes the lives of nearly 3000 Australians each year, so women require ongoing access to a number of effective therapies.”

duncan.abey@news.com.au