Health chiefs hit out over cancer claims

Health bosses have hit out at claims North-east patients aremissing out on breast cancer drugs.

Their comments came after healthcare group Roche said that almosthalf of patients in the north of Scotland diagnosed as HER2-positive -an aggressive strain of breast cancer - were missing out on the drugHerceptin, which is known to combat the disease.

The drug is used in addition to conventional surgery, chemotherapyand radiotherapy, and research has shown that it can help reduce therisk of cancer returning by half and increase survival from thedisease by a third.

More than a year ago Herceptin was endorsed for use with HER2-positive cancer patients by both the …