Hounslow is London's biggest loser in the 'postcode lottery' over cancer drugs, a survey has revealed.
Health chiefs have turned down every application for five potentially life-saving treatments in the last year, according to a BBC poll published this week.
It is one of just five boroughs in the capital not to approve a single request for the costly drugs during that period.
Mum--of-two, Jenny Robinson, who lives in Feltham, was denied the life-extending drug Sutent after being diagnosed with kidney cancer, despite the treatment being available to patients in nearby Hammersmith.
Geoff Martin, of campaign group London Health Emergency, said: "These decisions are driven purely by money but you can't put a price on life-saving treatments.
"What really sticks in the throat is the amount of money being spent on consultants and re-branding at the same time as denying taxpayers these drugs."
All five treatments in the survey have yet to be officially approved for NHS use, leaving it up to individual health trusts whether to fund them on a case-by-case basis.
The drugs in question are Avastin, for colon and breast cancer; Erbitux, for colon and lung cancer; Nexavar, for renal and liver cancer; Sutent, for renal cancer; and Tarceva, for pancreatic cancer.
Hounslow Primary Care Trust (PCT) rejected seven applications in total - four for Sutent (one was accepted, only for the request to be withdrawn), two for Erbitux and one each for Avastin and Nexavar.
Kingston, Richmond & Twickenham, and Wandsworth PCTs also rejected every request (though they all received fewer than Hounslow), while neighbouring Hillingdon approved just one out of 10 bids.
John Murphy, former vice-chairman of Hounslow PCT's patient-led health forum, said the BBC's findings didn't surprise him because the borough got a raw deal when it came to funding.
"Some of these treatments are incredibly expensive and have minimal benefits but the NHS should provide the same treatment for everybody rather than having a postcode lottery," he added.
A spokeswoman for Hounslow PCT said: "We follow NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) guidelines on all drugs but still look at cases on an individual basis."
