Women suffering from breast cancer in Sussex will now have access to a potentially lifesaving drug if they need it.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has given its final guidance on the use of the drug Herceptin for women in the early stages of the disease.

The only exceptions will be where there are concerns about a woman's heart condition.

Mother of seven Sarah Steele, 43, from Worthing and Lesley Tipler, 53, from Polegate went public last December after their local primary care trusts (PCTs) told them they could not have the £30,000 treatment because it was not licensed for widespread use in the UK.

The trusts said they also had to ensure patient safety despite the drug's proven success in the US and the acknowledgement it was likely to be given the goahead in UK and Europe this year.

Both women said the cost was also a factor and without the treatment they had less chance of survival.

All 15 PCTs in Sussex and Surrey and the cancer networks covering both counties eventually agreed to change their policy towards prescribing the drug and to give it to exceptional cases. Both women have been getting their treatment this year.

PCTs in Sussex will now have to approve using the drug in the majority of cases when asked to.

Herceptin is effective on the HER2-positive type of the disease which affects about 20 to 25 per cent of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Nice chief executive Andrew Dillon said: "Our assessment of Herceptin shows that it is clinically and cost-effective for women with HER2-positive early breast cancer.

"The guidance has been issued rapidly, to ensure consistent use across the NHS and was produced in draft form just two weeks after the licence extension for Herceptin was granted."

Breast Cancer Care joint chief executive Christine Fogg said: "People with early-stage breast cancer who may benefit from being treated with Herceptin will be greatly relieved to hear this final decision.

"The potential benefits this drug could have for patients with a moderate or high risk of a recurrence of breast cancer have been shown to outweigh its associated risks."