A new Rarer Cancers Foundation (RCF) report has found that patients in Wales are being denied life-extending cancer treatments which would be made available to them elsewhere in the UK.

The report, Exceptional Cymru?: An audit of the progress made in improving access to treatment for people with rarer cancers in Wales, reveals that 35 Welsh patients have been denied life-extending cancer treatments between October 2009 and December 2010. In total, over 100 patients were forced to apply under exceptional case procedures in a final attempt to secure access to treatment recommended by their doctors.

The report also finds that access to cancer treatments on the NHS is now significantly poorer than in England or Scotland:

- There are currently 22 drugs which are not available to patients in Wales but that doctors in England can apply for via the new Cancer Drugs Fund to secure access.

- The approval rate for exceptional case applications is significantly lower in Wales (67%) than it is in Scotland (87%).The restrictive system in Wales may be deterring doctors from applying.

- Doctors in Wales are six times less likely to make an exceptional case application than they are in Scotland.

- Patients who are unable to secure NHS funding for their treatment are thus forced to go without potentially life-extending treatments – or pay 'top-ups' themselves of nearly £21,000 each.

Commenting on the report, Andrew Wilson, Chief Executive of the RCF, said:

"The NHS should be there when you need it the most, but this is sadly not the case for all cancer patients in Wales. Access to treatment should be based on clinical need and not a lottery based on which side of the border you live.

"This report provides the proof that patients in Wales are being denied treatments which they would get elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The political parties must look at the evidence and act now to fix this broken and unfair system."

Source: Rare Cancers Forum