Spend on cancer per patient in England 2006 - 2007

£6,198

Compare this with other PCTs: highest amount spent was £17,028, lowest was £5,182, and average PCT spend per cancer patient was £8,437.

Exceptional funding for cancer treatment

The following information was requested from the PCT in 2008 under the Freedom of Information Act.

Written protocols
The PCT does not use written protocols. The Freedom of Information Officer informed us that "All exceptional treatment requests from clinicians are assessed individually.  The prior approval process is not protocolised for cancer drugs and does not lend itself to this type of assessment.  Each case is carefully appraised according to clinical particulars, supporting evidence and current and previous drug treatment".

Exceptional Treatment Panel
The Exceptional Treatment Panel has written terms of reference. Membership of the Panel is as follows:

• Director of Public Health (Chair)
• Non-executive Director
• Another director level member with a clinical background
• A general practitioner
• A member of contracting staff

The Panel may also be attended by invitation by individuals who are able to offer expert advice on cases but who do not otherwise take part in the decision making process.

Cancer treatments funded by PCT following exceptional requests

When asked to list the number of patients whose exceptional requests for cancer treatments had been approved by the PCT since 01 October 2006, the Freedom of Information Officer stated that the PCT does not hold this information because the PCT does not assess requests from patients. Exceptional treatment requests "must come from the patient's clinician or specialist". However, since 01 October 2006 the PCT had funded the following cancer treatments:

• Bevacizumab
• Bortezomib
• Cetuximab
• Dasatinib
• Erlotinib
• Gemtuzimab
• Rituximab
• Sorafenib
• Sunitinib

Cancer treatments not funded by PCT following exceptional requests

Since 01 October 2006 the PCT refused to fund the following treatments:

• Bevacizumab
• Cetuximab