WHEN Nice, the National Institute of Clincial Excellence, finally relented and decreed Sunitinib could be given to kidney cancer victims, it seemed an important war had been won, and not just the battle.

These cancer sufferers and even the relatives of those who did not live to see the end of that fight rejoiced because it appeared the health officials had listened to them over this life-extending treatment.

Surely it would herald a similar approach to other renal cancer drugs?

Alas, no. Nice has now come out and struck out three other drugs as not being worth giving to these patients. And it has ruled that while they can have Sunitinib if it is their first round of drugs, they cannot receive it if they have been given other drugs previously.

Clive Stone, chairman of the campaigners Friends of Renal Oncology Group, tells how one sufferer said getting cancer was not the worst news in the world. Being told there is a treatment and you are denied it, however, is.

Our campaigners are now vowing to fight once again.

But the question is should they have to? The treatment of cancer victims is shoddy and despicable when they should be receiving the best of care from the NHS.

Other countries can do it. Why can’t we?