By Goya Dmytryshchak
An Altona Meadows mother is among those who may benefit from a medication to treat a rare cancer newly subsidised by the federal government.
Mother of two Natalia De Masi, who has a third child on the way, is living with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, or GEP-NETs, which originate from the gastrointestinal tract or pancreas.
Until last week, the medication used to treat it could cost $24,000 a year.
Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt last week announced Somatuline Autogel would
be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
It will now cost $39.50 or $6.40 for concession card holders instead of $2000 a month.
Ms De Masi, 38, is among 760 Australians diagnosed with the disease.
Eight years ago, she experienced what she terms her “miracle” miscarriage, owing to it resulting in a potentially life-saving diagnosis.
“I was having surgery to remove what they thought was an ectopic pregnancy and once they ended the surgery they said there was no ectopic pregnancy, it was just a simple miscarriage, but by the way we’ve found something that we’ve biopsied,” she said.
“A week later they told me the news that it was a very rare type of cancer called carcinoid, which goes under the umbrella of neuroendocrine tumours.
“The main tumour was located in my appendix, with it having metastasised to the bowel and also the lining of the stomach through the lymph nodes, so there was a fair spread already.”
Since her diagnosis, Ms De Masi has had two children Liam and Noah, and is pregnant with her third.
She said she was glad the treatment had been subsidised because often rare cancers were “overlooked” for funding.
“My oncologist mentioned that this drug has just been listed could very well be something that I could use because it is for non-functional tumours but given my situation of being pregnant right now I don’t qualify for any treatment.
“I’m extremely happy something like this has been put on the PBS.”
