Breast Cancer Drug Funding Expanded After Study Shows Reduced Deaths

A large international study has found that a breast cancer drug, when used in combination with hormone therapy, can significantly improve survival odds for patients with early-stage disease. The research, funded by the manufacturer, showed the treatment reduced the risk of death by 19 percent and the risk of disease recurrence by 26 percent compared to hormone therapy alone.

Health advocates in New

Health advocates in New Zealand are calling for expanded funding to make the treatment more widely available. The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition estimates that about 900 additional patients with earlier-stage disease could benefit if funding were expanded beyond the current advanced-stage criteria.

A psychiatrist diagnosed

A psychiatrist diagnosed with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in 2021 described the emotional impact of limited access. She stated that patients in Australia can access a similar treatment that reduces recurrence risk by about 30 percent, a option currently unavailable in New Zealand. She expressed that knowing she was doing everything possible to prevent recurrence would greatly reduce anxiety.

New Zealand currently funds

New Zealand currently funds hormone blockers for eligible patients, but advocates say a more advanced class of drugs known as CDK inhibitors is not widely available for early-stage cases. The Breast Cancer Aotearoa Coalition chairperson emphasized that the health system needs to find the budget to roll out these medicines more widely, arguing that early access gives patients the best chance of curing the disease and preventing it from returning as advanced cancer.