Patients' groups have reacted angrily after treatments for breast and prostate cancer failed to be approved for routine use by the NHS in Scotland.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC), the body which approves drugs for use by the health service north of the border, rejected calls for eribulin to be used to help patients with advanced breast cancer, and also refused to make the drug enzalutamide routinely available to those with prostate cancer who have not yet received chemotherapy.

Owen Sharp, the chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, branded the decision "yet another intolerable blow to hundreds of men with incurable advanced prostate cancer".

Nicolas White, the head of Breast Cancer Care Scotland, also hit out at the SMC, saying: "The decision not to offer eribulin through NHS Scotland is yet another door slammed shut for women with breast cancer. This is the third life-extending drug rejected within 12 months."

SMC vice-chairman Dr Alan MacDonald: said: "It is disappointing not to be able to recommend eribulin for breast cancer and enzalutamide for prostate cancer."

He added that while patient groups and clinicians had spoken strongly in favour of approval, "after considering all the available evidence and applying as much flexibility as we could, the committee was unable to accept them".

The SMC said there was "some uncertainty" about the benefits eribulin would give patients at the end of their live, and feared it may not be an effective use of resources.

While prostate cancer sufferers who have had chemotherapy can be treated with enzalutamide, the SMC felt there was "insufficient evidence about the overall benefits" for those who have not had chemotherapy, adding that the cost of the drug was "still substantial" despite a discount given to the NHS.

Dr MacDonald said: "We realise these decisions will disappoint patients and clinicians alike, but SMC has to consider clinical and cost effectiveness in making its decisions."

Mr Sharp argued: "Some men with this type of prostate cancer want the option to delay chemotherapy. Others can't or don't want to have chemotherapy at all. Men in these situations need to be given access to the full range of effective treatment options.

"Instead, today's cruel decision leaves hundreds of men without active treatment, and some men with nowhere to turn but palliative care. When effective treatments are on the market but denied to men, this makes the pain all the more difficult to bear."

He added: "The SMC and the manufacturer must work together immediately to get this treatment approved, with the manufacturer being clear it is offering the best possible price.

"The men who need enzalutamide don't have time to waste. Decency and common sense must prevail as soon as possible."

Mr White said the decision not to approve eribulin would be "particularly distressing for those with incurable breast cancer or limited treatment options".

He added: "We had hoped the new decision making system - Pace - would place patients at the heart of the process. Yet, this judgement is a devastating reminder this is not the case.

"Breast Cancer Care is calling for more to be done so these women are not denied valuable time with their families and loved ones."

While the SMC failed to approve eribulin and enzalutamide it accepted new treatments for HIV and asthma and a new antibiotic to treat those with MRSA related skin infections.

Dr MacDonald said: "We are pleased to be able to accept these three medicines for use in NHS Scotland. Tackling antibiotic resistance and HIV are high on the agenda for Scotland, and severe asthma is also a significant concern. We hope these medicines will be of benefit to patients."

Pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma Ltd has called on the SMC to justify its decision surrounding enzalutamide.

A statement issued on behalf of the firm said: "Astellas is perplexed that the SMC has not recommended enzalutamide despite meeting end of life criteria and demonstrating cost-effectiveness within previously accepted thresholds for such treatment.

"Astellas believes that during the process all questions were adequately addressed around the cost-effectiveness of enzalutamide.

"Most recently, Astellas met with the SMC to discuss the recommendation with the aim of seeking a way forward. Astellas left without hearing a robust rationale for the lack of recommendation and as such is unable to identify what would be needed to ensure access in Scotland."