Patients could be forced to wait 18 months for life saving cancer drugs in an NHS postcode lottery.

Hospitals have withdrawn a new drug for bowel cancer, leaving sufferers panic-stricken.

Cancer charities said today that patients "did not have the time to wait" for the regional inequalities to be sorted out.

Even though Erbitux, also known as cetuxi mab, has been proven in clinical trials to be effective in reducing tumour size by 50%, the Northern Cancer Network, the body that co-ordinates cancer care for the North-East has asked trusts not to use it.

The treatment has been licensed for use and has been available in Switzerland and America for more than a year.

It is being assessed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice), set up by the Government to stop healthcare drugs inequalities.

But Nice is not due to make a decision on whether NHS hospitals should provide Erbitux until November 2006 and health trusts then have another three months to fall in line with recommendations.

The lack of guidance means individual health trusts decide for themselves whether to buy the drug, so people in some parts of the country could have access to it while those in the North-East are denied it.

Last night, cancer charities called on the Government to give more cash and resources to Nice to speed up decisions.

Tara McDowell, North-East spokeswoman for Beating Bowel Cancer UK, said: "Nice was set up to stop the drugs postcode lottery, but there are still huge inequalities.

"Research has shown Erbitux improves survival chances, but it won't be available for more than a year.

"Patients don't have that time, especially as Erbitux is being used for people with advanced cases of bowel cancer."

The row follows criticism of Nice for delaying approval of other therapies for breast and bowel cancer, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Erbitux, which costs £10,800 for an average 18 weeks of treatment, was found by the Royal Marsden Hospital in London to shrink tumours by 50 per cent or more in 23 per cent of patients when used in combination with chemotherapy.

Cancer Research UK medical director Professor John Toy urged patients to demand that their doctor considered new treatments: "Once medicines have been licensed, they can be prescribed, even if Nice has not yet approved them."

Northern Cancer Network said: "The NCN board considered the evidence and felt data did not show that survival rates compared to existing treatments were robust enough. There was also no information on the quality of life of patients taking the drug. "The drug will continue to be prescribed to patients already benefiting, but no new patients will be started.

"On availability of new evidence, the decision will be revised and reconsidered."

Yesterday grandfather Colin Christie said he "would not be here today" if he had not been given the new bowel cancer drug now withdrawn from the region.

Mr Christie, 69, was given Erbitux last year after his cancer failed to respond to conventional treatment.

Because he had already started taking the drug, administered through a drip once a week, he can continue with it, but yesterday he said he was horrified to hear that it would not be available for new patients.

"Without a doubt, if I had not been given Erbitux, I would not be here today."

Former Ellington Colliery miner Mr Christie was diagnosed with face cancer in April 2003.

He had surgery to remove his right eye and his cheek bone and during a CT scan doctors found he also had bowel and liver cancer.

Mr Christie, who lives with wife Margaret, 65, a retired factory work in Shadfen Close, Pegswood, Morpeth, and has four grandchildren and two great grandchildren, underwent surgery to remove part of his bowel and started on traditional chemotherapy.

He was given Erbitux last August 2004 when chemotherapy alone failed to contain the tumours in his liver.

"My tumours have shrunk and my quality of life is better," he said. "I've got more energy, better appetite and no sickness, which I experienced on some of the other, earlier treatments.

"It has given me hope for the future."