NICE lifts 2002 restrictions on two drugs to treat colorectal cancer
Updated guidance
on the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer issued this week by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommends the use of irinotecan (Campto) or oxaliplatin (Eloxatin), in combination with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid, as first line treatment for all patients with the disease.
The revised guidance lifts restrictions put in place by NICE on the routine
use of these drugs in colorectal
cancer patients in 2002 (PJ,
16 March 2002, p351). It states that, within its licensed indication,
irinotecan
can be used in combination with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid as first-line
therapy, or alone in subsequent therapy. Oxaliplatin can be used in combination
with 5-fluorouracil
and folinic acid as first-line or subsequent therapy.
The recommendation that raltitrexed is not used for treatment of advanced
colorectal cancer patients and is confined to use in appropriately designed
clinical trials remains unchanged.
Children and adolescents Specialist oncology
pharmacists have been recognised as essential members of the multidisciplinary
team in a clinical
guideline launched this week by NICE.
The guideline — on improving outcomes in children and young people with
cancer — specifies that all chemotherapy should be prepared by pharmacy
technicians and monitored by pharmacists trained to national standards and
that a designated pharmacist should be part of the multidisciplinary team in
all care
settings.
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