Arimidex reduces the risk of a cancer coming back by an extra 26 percent over the 50 percent reduction provided by the former 'gold standard' Tamoxifen.

The drug, Arimidex, which reduces the chance of the disease returning by 76 percent, has been approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC). It will now become routinely available on the Scottish NHS for post-menopausal women after breast cancer surgery.

The decision was widely welcomed. But there was widespread criticism of SMC's English counterpart, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), which is not expected to approve the treatment for at least another year.

Restricts Estrogen

Arimidex, also known as anastrozole, works by restricting the hormone estrogen that feeds the growth of tumors. It is taken once daily as an oral tablet over a treatment period of five years.

In trials, the drug was found to be 26 percent more effective in preventing cancer returning than the "gold standard" treatment Tamoxifen that is most commonly used now. The new drug will cost the NHS around GBP 2.51 a day compared to just 7p for Tamoxifen.

Until recently, Arimidex was only used in women at risk of side effects of Tamoxifen, such as blood clots. Although Arimidex also has side effects of joint pain and fracture, it is expected to be used more widely for women with a higher risk of the cancer recurring.

Lorraine Dallas, national co-ordinator at Breast Cancer Care Scotland, welcomed an end to the postcode lottery experienced by breast-cancer patients across Scotland.

She said: "All post-menopausal women with early breast cancer will now have equal access to Arimidex immediately after surgery -- significantly reducing the chances of postcode prescribing across Scotland. It is now imperative that healthcare professionals across Scotland act immediately and ensure women are given the most effective treatment available."

Breast-cancer patient Anne Brown, from Carnoustie in Angus, said: "It's truly great news for all fellow Scots women affected by breast cancer. Getting effective treatment right from the start was an important factor for me. I feel reassured taking Arimidex, knowing that I am receiving a very effective drug when I need it most -- during the early stages of my disease, when the cancer is most likely to come back."

Another Option

Dr. Chris Wilson, a consultant surgeon at the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, said the new treatment could prevent some of the 1,000 deaths from breast cancer in Scotland every year.

He added: "Hopefully it will turn into more people surviving breast cancer."

However, NICE is unlikely to make a decision on Arimidex for at least another 15 months, causing outrage at Westminster.

Meanwhile, another drug, Aromasin, which also works by restricting estrogen but is used after two years on Tamoxifen, was licensed yesterday.

The drug, which also reduces the chance of breast cancer recurring by around 70 percent, will provide another option for post-menopausal breast cancer patients. At the moment, it is offered by some doctors but awaits approval by the SMC and NICE before it is widely available on the NHS.