CANCER campaigner Clive Stone has praised health bosses he once fought against for passing a kidney cancer drug, but pledged to fight for other sufferers.

The Eynsham resident welcomed National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) moves to back life-lengthening Axitinib on the NHS.

It is the third advanced kidney cancer drug to be supported by NICE and the first for those who have already tried other treatment.

The institute recommends what treatments the NHS should fund and Mr Stone won his campaign in 2007 for kidney cancer drug Sunitinib.

Mr Stone – who has battled more than 30 tumours – feared he could need Axitinib as Sunitinib could be proving less effective in tackling his cancer.

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The grandfather-of-one, 67, said of the NICE decision, which is not yet final: “It is incredible, I am really pleased about it.

“I am very relieved. If my drug has stopped working then there is another drug I can get.”

Prime Minister David Cameron announced a Cancer Drugs Fund for treatments not approved by NICE in Mr Stone’s living room in 2010.

It came after campaigning by Mr Stone, including a 2008 delegation of more than 100 sufferers to NICE in London.

The former bank manager, undergoing radiotherapy for two tumours near his spine, said: “It is better for patients who don’t have to now be at the mercy of the Cancer Drugs Fund.”

Yet he said he remains concerned at November news that 43 fund drugs are being re-assessed for the first time on cost as well as clinical effectiveness.

Mr Stone, who recently wrote to Mr Cameron about the assessments, said: “I can’t just say ‘I’m okay so everyone will have to get on with it’.

“I would be prepared to go to London again if we can get it together. It depends on how many patients wish to be involved.”

The £280m fund has provided cash for 55,000 patients.

But chairman Professor Peter Clark last month said it has to “act now” so it can continue to support as many people as possible.

He said: “We want to create a fund that will ensure patients don’t miss out on promising innovative treatments we know are in the pipeline.”

Final draft guidance has been issued by NICE for consultation on Axitinib after medics found it to be “life extending” and cost about £43,200 a year.

NICE's health technology evaluation centre director, Professor Carole Longson, said: “The independent appraisal committee carefully considered the available evidence, including the discount offered by the company that market the drug, and concluded that Axitinib should be offered by the NHS.”

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