A woman in the early stages of breast cancer is fighting for her right to receive the drug which might save her life, namely Herceptin. Ann Marie Rogers, 54, from Swindon, Wiltshire, lost her case when she appeared in front of the High Court, asking Swindon Primary Care Trust in Wiltshire should pay for the costly medication. The woman was, so far, refused the drug, which costs about $35,000 a year and describes this decision as being "a death sentence". "I am facing a death sentence if I cannot receive Herceptin. This battle against the bureaucracy created by hospital managers to receive the drug that my clinician has prescribed for me, has taken its toll and I am placing my faith in the court," Rogers added. Herceptin is part of the new generation of drugs which attack only cancer cells and are tolerated much better than traditional chemotherapy. Though doctors say the drug could be used for other stages of breast cancer, it is only licensed to be used by women with the illness in an advanced state. Rogers' lawyer David Pannick said the woman has a 25% chance of remaining free of the disease after 10 years and a 57% chance of the condition killing her. He also mentioned that the woman met all the necessary criteria to receive the drug which is her best chance for survival. Some trials indicated that Herceptin may cause cardiac risks, but these reasons are not sufficient for the drug to be denied.