Application Detail

Status

Closed

Description of Medical Service

Cetuximab is used to treat patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Cetuximab is a personalised medicine tailored to the genetic make-up of a patient. A patient’s cancer cells must therefore be tested to see if they contain the normal (“wild-type”) or a mutant form of a gene called Kirsten RAS (KRAS). Cetuximab is only used to treat metastatic CRC patients who have a normal KRAS gene.

Description of Medical Condition

Colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon or bowel cancer, is a cancer formed by uncontrolled cell growth in the colon or rectum (parts of the large intestine), or in the appendix. Symptoms of colorectal cancer typically include rectal bleeding and anemia, sometimes associated with weight loss and changes in bowel habits. Metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread from the place where it first started to other place(s) in the body. The symptoms and signs of metastatic colorectal cancer depend on the location of the tumour in the bowel and on where it has spread elsewhere in the body.

Reason for Application

Amendment to MBS item

Medical Service Type

Therapeutic

Previous Application Number

Not Applicable

Associated Documentation

Application Form

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PICO Confirmation

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Assessment Report

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Public Summary Document

Final Minutes - MSAC 60th Meeting (PDF 68 KB)
Final Minutes - MSAC 60th Meeting (Word 60 KB)

Meetings for this Application

PASC

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ESC

10 to 11 October 2013

MSAC

28 November 2013