New hope for breast, lung cancer patients

Hundreds of breast and lung cancer sufferers will benefit after the federal government agreed to subsidise life-saving drugs worth $80,000.

Health Minister Sussan Ley says the lung cancer drug Crizotinib and breast cancer treatments Perjeta, Herceptin and Kadcyla will now cost patients $37.70 or $6.10 (for concession card holders) after being listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme on Wednesday.

The new listings would benefit 590 breast cancer patients and 154 lung cancer patients each year, Ms Ley said, thanks to a taxpayer investment of more than $250 million.

"This investment will deliver affordable access to patients who would otherwise pay up to $80,000 for these life-saving treatments to beat breast and lung cancers," Ms Ley said.

Of the $10 billion taxpayers spend on the PBS each year, one in every six dollars is now spent on cancer treatments, she said.

It comes after Ms Ley on Sunday announced the listing of the melanoma drug Keytruda from September 1.