A new drug has been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme which can help stop breast cancer from spreading. The drug, also known as abemaciclib, will be made available to patients with a high-risk of cancer reoccurrence from next week.

Canberra

A new breakthrough in the treatment of breast cancer has been achieved with the addition of abemaciclib, a novel drug, to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), set to be accessible to patients at a high risk of cancer recurrence starting next week. This development is poised to significantly impact Australian women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer by substantially reducing the risk of the disease's return.

Abemaciclib functions by targeting specific proteins within cancer cells, thwarting their ability to spread throughout the body. Clinical assessments have highlighted the drug's efficacy, demonstrating that it can lower the chance of cancer recurrence by approximately one-third. This is particularly beneficial for those identified as having a high risk of cancer coming back.

One notable testimony to the effectiveness of abemaciclib comes from 45-year-old breast cancer survivor Elizabeth Nguyen, who has experienced the drug's long-term benefits firsthand. Nguyen's story reflects a broader sentiment among the breast cancer community, acknowledging the significance of making such innovative treatments more widely available to Australians. 

For the first time, a two-year course of abemaciclib treatment is being funded through the PBS, making it financially accessible to more patients. Without PBS listing, the expense for this course of treatment could amount to around $100,000, a sum that is prohibitively costly for the majority of families. With the new PBS subsidy, the cost is drastically reduced to as low as $31, thereby alleviating the financial burden on patients and their families.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with over 20,000 Australians anticipated to be diagnosed in the current year alone. The introduction of abemaciclib into the PBS marks a significant advancement in the ongoing battle against breast cancer, promising to reduce the incidence of recurrence and ultimately save lives. This development underscores the importance of continued research and innovation in cancer treatment.



Breakthrough breast cancer drug becomes available

The ZNEO described a game-changer for Australian women diagnosed with early breast cancer. We can give it to those women at highest risk and reduce their risk of the cancer coming back by about a third, which is extraordinary. 45-year-old Elizabeth Nguyen is a breast cancer survivor and praises the medicine's long-term effects. It's really wonderful that more Australian women and families are going to be able to access this therapy that I've had. For the first time, the two-year course treatment will be funded through the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Without listing on the PBS, a course of treatment would cost an Australian woman and their family about $100,000. I don't think there's many families that can suddenly afford $100,000 a year. It really is out of the realms of an everyday person. It works to block specific proteins inside cancer cells, stopping it from spreading inside the body. Using ZNEO will significantly reduce that chance of recurrence. This funding making it more accessible and affordable for patients, costing as little as $31. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. It's estimated that more than 20,000 Australians will be diagnosed this year alone. And while progress has been made, research remains crucial. There's going to be fewer women having their breast cancer come back in five years' time because this drug's been introduced today.

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