Student to be ‘first in queue’ as new brain tumour treatment approved for NHS

A student diagnosed with a brain tumour has said she will be “first in the queue” for a drug that has been approved for use by the NHS in Scotland.

Brooke MacFadyen, 26, from Coatbridge, was diagnosed with a low grade astrocytoma in June 2024 after experiencing a seizure in October 2023.

She was awake throughout surgery to try to take out the tumour in August 2024 but, unfortunately, medics were unable to remove it it all.

She has now welcomed a decision by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to approve the drug vorasidenib  – which is also known as Voranigo – for patients aged 12 and over with certain types of brain tumour known as astrocytomas or oligodendrogliomas.

Ms MacFadyen was initially offered the drug as part of a clinical trial after her surgery but, as she was still in recovery, she felt unable to decide and missed out on the treatment.

With the drug now approved, however, the college student – who hopes to go on to university to study psychology – said she hoped she would be able to benefit from it.

Regular monitoring for any growth in her tumour leaves her in a state of anxiety, with Ms MacFadyen saying being able to take the medication “would be a massive relief”.

She said: “I’ll be first in the queue for vorasidenib now that it’s available on the NHS in Scotland.

“It would be a massive relief to take the medication because I worry a lot about the tumour. It’s always in the back of my mind.

“What if it was to grow back or what if I was to go up a grade? Even to have to go down the road of having chemotherapy or radiotherapy fills me with dread, because I’ve been warned that that’s going to happen.”

She added: “A treatment like this takes away so much worry, has less traumatic side effects and means people like me can have a good quality life while studying or working.”

SMC chair Professor Scott Muir said it had “heard powerful testimony from patient groups about the impact of astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma brain tumours on patients and families”.

He added: “Vorasidenib will provide a new treatment option that can slow the progression of the tumour and delay the need for chemotherapy and radiotherapy.”

Drug company Servier told the SMC about 400 people are diagnosed with low grade gliomas each year in the UK.

Meanwhile, the Brain Tumour Charity has estimated about 10 people a year in Scotland would be eligible for vorasidenib.

Its chief executive, Dr Michele Afif, said the approval of the treatment was a “moment of real celebration for the Scottish Brain Tumour community”.

She added: “Approvals for new treatments to be used within the NHS are all too rare in the brain tumour setting. This decision is a testament to the hard work of many stakeholders including researchers, clinicians, industry, charities, and those with lived experience. We hope it’s the first of many.”

Dr Karen Noble, director of research, policy and innovation at Brain Tumour Research, also hailed the SMC’s decision as a “hugely significant moment”.

Dr Noble said: “Low-grade brain tumours are not low impact, so we are extremely pleased that suitable patients in Scotland with low-grade glioma will be able to access vorasidenib through the NHS.

“Brain Tumour Research is grateful to those in our community who shared their stories as part of the consultation process to support the case for this new drug.

“The last treatment to be approved for adult brain tumours in the UK was temozolomide, 20 years ago. We will continue to campaign to ensure patients across the UK have access to life-changing treatments and highlight the desperate need for increased investment in research.”