NICE is issuing a second consultation document as part of its appraisal of erlotinib (Tarceva, Roche Products) as a maintenance treatment for people with non-small-cell lung cancer who have had first line treatment and their disease has remained stable. This second draft of the guidance does not recommend erlotinib.
Sir Andrew Dillon, Chief Executive at NICE said: “Maintenance treatment is a relatively new concept in lung cancer care. Its goals are to prolong the benefits of treatment and to maximise quality of life for as long as possible. We have already recommended pemetrexed as a treatment under some of these circumstances. However, where pemetrexed was demonstrated to offer a potential additional 5.2 months of life to patients, it is uncertain how much benefit erlotinib can offer as a maintenance treatment.
“We are disappointed not to have been able to recommend a further treatment option for this cancer, however, there is considerable uncertainty about its clinically effectiveness in this setting and we need to be sure that new and existing treatments offer good value for the NHS.”
Erlotinib has been shown to have some clinical benefit, with the manufacturer estimating it can potentially extend life by approximately 3.3 months. However, the independent Appraisal Committee did not feel the evidence was sufficiently robust to demonstrate this extension to life.
Draft guidance has been issued for public consultation and the manufacturer and other consultees now have an opportunity to consider and respond to comments made by the independent Appraisal Committee.
Until NICE issues final guidance, NHS bodies should make decisions locally on the funding of specific treatments.
Source: NICE