The family of a kidney cancer patient from Mid Wales has vowed to fight NHS managers who have refused to fund a potentially life-enhancing drug.

Trevor Evans, of Rhayader, has been told he does not meet the criteria to receive kidney cancer drug Nexavar because he is not an “exceptional” case.

The 57-year-old grandfather-of-seven is not now receiving any treatment, despite the cancer spreading from his kidney to his bowel, lungs and liver. His daughter Sarah Hope has vowed to fight the decision.

“There is no cure for my father’s condition, but we want him to have extra time with his grandchildren and this drug would enable him to do this,” she said.

She said her father was diagnosed with kidney cancer in November 2005 and had surgery in Hereford to remove his right kidney.

“No after-treatment was offered, just regular scans, which were clear until June 2007, and by this stage he was feeling unwell. The scan showed tumours on his bowel, lung and liver,” said Mrs Hope.

He was initially prescribed Interferon – a drug that can help control or stabilise the cancer, but which had severe side-effects.

Mrs Hope said: “His consultant suggested Nexavar – also known as Sorafenib – and applied for funding from Powys Local Health Board. Clinical trials proved these drugs can slow down the growth of kidney cancers that have spread.

But the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has issued interim guidance stating the drug and three other kidney cancer drugs are not recommended for use on the NHS.

Mrs Hope said it took mo- re than 12 weeks for the LHB to decide about funding the drug, before deciding Mr Evans was not an “exceptional” case.

“We would like to know what their definition of exce- ptional is,” said Mrs Hope.

“It has been suggested that we pay for the drug ourselves which is something we can’t afford to do and something we feel we sho- uldn’t have to do. We are disgusted that Nice has rest- ricted the use of the effective cancer treatments.”

A Powys LHB spokeswoman said: “An application for Sorafenib has been made by the LHB. This is being de- alt with in accordance with the LHB’s individual patient commissioning process.”