Xeloda for gastric cancer gains NICE nod

NICE has recommended Roche’s Xeloda as a first line treatment of inoperable advanced gastric cancer.

The cost-effectiveness body says the oral formulation of Xeloda (capecitabine) in combination with a platinum-based regimen makes treatment far more convenient for patients.

Currently, patients with inoperable advanced gastric cancer are treated with the chemotherapy drug fluorouracil, via an infusion pump, as a first line treatment.

Dr Carole Longson, health technology evaluation centre director at NICE, said: “Oral capecitabine-based regimens are at least as effective as the other fluorouracil-based regimens currently used to treat gastric cancer.

“Patients also need fewer visits to hospital with capecitabine, because the treatment is with tablets, rather than an infusion pump. This guidance is good news for gastric cancer patients who have inoperable tumours and we are pleased to be able to recommend capecitabine.”

Dr Longson added: “When a new treatment becomes available and it does more or less the same thing and produces similar results as the existing NHS care, the choice is straightforward.

“As capecitabine works at least as well as the existing treatment and is convenient for patients, our independent appraisal committee has chosen to go straight to a Final Appraisal Determination in order to speed up access to this treatment.”

The drug is licensed to treat numerous cancers including metastatic breast cancer and colorectal cancer, and achieved sales of 1.3 billion Swiss francs ($1.2 billion) in 2009.

In February, the Committee on Human Medicinal Products (CHMP) recommended Xeloda in combination with Sanofi’s Eloxatin (oxaliplatin) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with early colon cancer.

 
Ben Adams