The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, (NICE), has opened a consultation on draft guidance which does not recommend bevacizumab (Avastin, Roche), for metastatic breast cancer, when used in combination with the chemotherapy drug, capecitabine.
Clinical effectiveness evidence submitted to the Independent Appraisal Committee concluded that, although the median progression-free survival benefit (the time at which the 50% of people's cancers began to progress again) associated with bevacizumab plus capecitabine was 2.9 months more than capecitabine alone, it was unclear whether that benefit translated into an improvement in overall survival.
There was also no data to show if patients would have a better quality of life than if they were treated with chemotherapy alone - an important issue raised during the appraisal.
Bearing in mind these uncertainties combined with the high cost of bevacizumab, the committee concluded this treatment was not a good use of limited NHS resources.
Sir Andrew Dillon, NICE Chief Executive, said: "We understand the need for effective treatments that can help patients live for as long as possible with a good quality of life.
"However, the evidence submitted to our independent appraisal committee did not conclusively show that bevacizumab could do either.
"The cost-effectiveness of the treatment was also an issue; we can't recommend a drug that has not been shown to work as well as, or better than, current treatments and costs much more.
"We want to ensure people have access to the best treatments the NHS can afford; bevacizumab has so far not been proven to be clinically or cost-effective."
Consultees, including the manufacturer, healthcare professionals and members of the public, are now able to comment on the preliminary recommendation during this period of public consultation.
