A woman suffering from terminal cancer has vowed to fight on despite being told for a second time that she will not be given a drug she believes could extend her life.

Sheila Norrington, of Barming, Maidstone, received confirmation on Tuesday from West Kent Primary Care Trust that it would not reconsider its decision to fund the drug Cetuximab for her.

Mrs Norrington, who was diagnosed with bowel cancer five years ago, has had 38 cycles of chemotherapy since, and believes Cetuximab could prolong her life.

However, the PCT’s individual treatment panel rejected the request last month and again last Monday after reviewing further evidence submitted by Mrs Norrington and her husband, Goff.

The trust says the drug is not recommended by the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for patients, like Mrs Norrington, who have already had a particular type of chemotherapy unsuccessfully.

She now plans to appeal the decision and may even consider a judicial review.

Mrs Norrington said: "I am bitter. I am an ideal candidate to try Cetuximab. If it is ineffective then why is it used widely in Europe, and why hasn’t it been withdrawn in the UK?"

She said that two oncologists had recommended her to the panel for the drug.

"The ITP say that I am not exceptional and therefore ineligible for Cetuximab. This makes me even more determined to continue my fight against them and the cancer."

A spokesman for the PCT said: "On June 2, West Kent PCT’s individual treatment panel carefully considered additional evidence regarding Mrs Norrington’s application for funding of the cancer drug Cetuximab.

"The panel took into account the NICE guidelines concerning Cetuximab and relevant expert advice, and looked for any evidence that Mrs Norrington would respond differently to this form of chemotherapy from other patients for whom it is not recommended.

"However, the additional evidence did not demonstrate that she would benefit from this treatment, which typically does not extend life for patients who, like Mrs Norrington, have already had a number of types of chemotherapy. The panel therefore decided that this treatment should not be funded."

To support Mrs Norrington, write to the chairman of the West Kent PCT. Contact details can be found here.