A BREAST cancer patient who fought for the right to be treated with Herceptin has had her final dose of the wonderdrug.

Amanda D'Argue, a mother of two from Radcliffe, became the second woman to be cleared for the treatment last year.

Herceptin can massively reduce the risk of breast cancer returning, but its widespread use was delayed because at the time its benefits became widely known it had not been registered by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

Mrs D'Argue, aged 40, and Alyson Cooper, from Bradshaw, Bolton, lobbied Bolton health bosses for more than five months in a bid to get them to pay for the treatment.

She started her course last April and has had the drug administered at home via a drip every three weeks. Mrs D'Argue said: "It's absolutely fantastic to finish this treatment.

"It's been brilliant to be given the treatment, but there have been some problems. I've been very tired and have been admitted to the Christie Hospital several times due to infections.

"I'm so delighted to have finished. I feel I can finally move on with the next part of my life."

Mrs D'Argue, who is a technical adviser in a bank and has two children, Jessica, aged nine and Thomas, aged seven, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer in July 2005.

She underwent an immediate mastectomy and embarked on a gruelling course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as part of her treatment. She is now cancer-free, but it will be several years before she can be considered to be in remission or given the "all clear".

Health bosses initially refused to treat her and Ms Cooper with Herceptin, but the decision was reversed when the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority, now NHS North-west, ruled the drug could be given to all women who would benefit from it.

The only criteria was that they had to be registered with a Greater Manchester GP and be having treatment at the Christie Hospital.

Last August NICE approved the drug for use on the NHS, making it available to all women who would benefit from it.

Mrs Cooper, aged 46, who works as a nurse, is still receiving her treatment.