Scotland has become the first part of the UK to make a drug routinely available on the NHS that can extend the lives of women suffering from an aggressive, incurable form of breast cancer.
Kadcyla was approved in an announcement by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), the body which selects drugs for use by the health service, which Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison hailed as a "good decision".
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
Patients in England can get the treatment through the Cancer Drugs Fund, but it has not been made routinely available by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).
More than 4,600 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Scotland each year, with the disease responsible for about 1,000 deaths annually.
Up to 118 women each year with the HER2-positive form of the disease could now benefit from Kadcyla.
Ms Robison said: "I know that there will be many patients who will be pleased and will benefit from Kadcyla now being available through the NHS."
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
The decision was announced on the day Ms Robison declared Scotland is "one of the top nations in the world for accessing new medicines for cancer".
SMC chairman Dr Alan MacDonald said the drug - also known as trastuzumab emtansine - had been approved after its manufacturers offered a discount in the cost.
He said: "I am pleased we were able to accept these new medicines for routine use in NHS Scotland. From the valuable testimonies given by patient groups and clinicians at our meeting, we know that trastuzumab emtansine will be welcomed by patients and their families for the treatment of breast cancer.
"We were able to accept trastuzumab emtansine on resubmission because the company offered an improved Patient Access Scheme (PAS), a confidential discount that improves the cost effectiveness of a medicine."
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
Kadcyla can help extend the life of women suffering from HER2-positive secondary breast cancer, but the SMC had previously rejected making it available on the NHS.
Nicolas White, head of Breast Cancer Care in Scotland, said: "This is a landmark decision for those across Scotland living with this certain type of incurable secondary breast cancer.
"Kadcyla can mean an extra six months with loved ones to make countless more precious memories - that time is priceless.
"These women already live with extreme uncertainty every day, and worries about not being able to access the drugs they need to live longer only add to their anxiety. Knowing that Kadcyla is now on the table offers a real glimmer of hope."
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
Mary Allison, Breast Cancer Now's director for Scotland, said the decision would "transform treatment options" for patients.
She added: "Both the Scottish Government and Breast Cancer Now share the same vision of making sure that by 2050 everyone who develops breast cancer will live.
"If we are to achieve this, we'll need to ensure that patients in Scotland are able to access the best possible treatments - and today is a real step forward for women with HER2-positive disease."
Gregor McNie, of Cancer Research UK in Scotland, said: "It's great news that this life-extending drug will be made available for some breast cancer patients in Scotland."
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
Dr Iain Macpherson, a senior lecturer and honorary consultant in medical oncology at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, hailed the announcement as a "significant milestone in cancer drug access in Scotland".
Professor David Cameron, director of cancer services at NHS Lothian, said: "I am delighted that this medicine is recommended to be made available on the NHS for Scottish patients who can benefit from it.
"It has been fought for by many, and especially the patients themselves. This decision represents a step forward in cancer care for Scotland - this is indeed a cause for celebration."
Manufacturers Roche said the SMC decision shows that when companies and the NHS work together, "we can find successful solutions that work for patients and the health system alike".
Roche UK general manager Richard Erwin said breast cancer patients in Scotland had been denied the treatment for more than two years after the SMC rejected Kadcyla in October 2014.
Read more: Patient's 'more confident about future' after Kadcyla decision
He added: "Throughout the reassessment of Kadcyla, Roche has worked collaboratively with patient groups and groups within NHS Scotland to find a solution that makes this important life-extending medicine available for women in Scotland."
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