Some women in Quebec are wondering why they can't have quicker access to a breast cancer drug that could prevent a recurrence of the disease and help save lives.

The drug trastuzumab, sold under the name Herceptin, is an antibody that fights tumour growth in women with the HER2 mutation on their tumours. About one in four breast cancers are this type.

Clinical trials suggest that three years after treatment, 87 per cent of women who received Herceptin plus chemotherapy did not have their cancer come back, compared to 75 per cent of those who had chemotherapy alone.

Rally Levy

Overall survival also improved by 53 per cent at three years for women who had both drugs.

Right now in Quebec, Herceptin is only available to women with advanced breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, although studies suggest it should be administered right after surgery.

"If I started my chemo a month ago, I would have been on the trial group that was eligible," said Rally Levy, a breast cancer patient in Montreal. "They have realized it is a good pill. Why can't I get it?"

Dr. Joseph Ragaz

Dr. Joseph Ragaz, director of oncology at McGill University Health Centre, agreed, saying researchers were surprised at how much the drug helped.

"No one expected ... so much benefit so quickly, and the actual benefit is 50 per cent reduction in all recurrences."

The drug, like chemotherapy, must be given in hospitals and is expensive. Oncologists said it could add $5 million to $6 million per year to hospital budgets.

Hospitals expect the provincial government will eventually fund the treatment, but Ragaz said many lives could be lost during those few months.

"It's a terrible shame to have so many really promising drugs," said David Fleiszer of the Cedars Breast Clinic at McGill. "And then we have to do things in such a slow way. We could clearly speed up that process if we could get more money."