HEALTH chiefs have agreed that a bowel cancer victim can be treated with the drug his oncologist has said offers him the best chance to beat the disease. Patrick McMahon, of Watling Street, Radlett, came to the Herts Advertiser after his oncologist at Mo

HEALTH chiefs have agreed that a bowel cancer victim can be treated with the drug his oncologist has said offers him the best chance to beat the disease.

Patrick McMahon, of Watling Street, Radlett, came to the Herts Advertiser after his oncologist at Mount Vernon Hospital was refused permission to treat him with the drug Cetuximab which is not on the list of drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

Mr McMahon, aged 57, a father of three whose condition as been deteriorating, said his oncologist had been in no doubt that Cetuximab was the right drug to treat him with and had appealed against the decision by the West Herts Primary Care Trust (PCT).

But this week the PCT denied that it had withheld funding or turned down a request to fund Cetuximab.

A statement said that arrangements were in place for clinicians at Mount Vernon to treat patients with cancer drugs or radiotherapy and they included the introduction of newer drugs such as Cetuximab for patients if a consultant thought it was the right treatment.

A spokesperson confirmed subsequently that arrangements were already in place for Mount Vernon to treat Mr McMahon with the drug if his consultant considered it appropriate.

Mr McMahon, who first suspected he had bowel cancer four years ago and has had surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiotherapy to remove the tumour, is now seeking confirmation from his oncologist that he can have the treatment.