11 November 2019 - An oncologist is urging hundreds of Kiwi lung cancer patients to contact their doctor to ensure they are screened for a rare form of the disease, which can now be treated for free, under a new initiative.

Patients who are diagnosed with the lung condition, in which a chromosomal rearrangement (ALK) causes lung cells to mutate and eventually spread throughout the body, can now have free access to a medicine, which has been shown to decrease the risk of disease progression or death by 53% when compared to the previous standard of care.

Associate Professor Chris Atkinson, oncologist and medical director of Lung Foundation NZ is calling for the introduction of national guidelines across DHBs to ensure all those living with advanced ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer (ALK+ mNSCLC) are diagnosed and can access a potentially life-extending medication which has become available in New Zealand.

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