Cancer patient Jimmy Jenkyns, 56, of Bainbridge Avenue, South Shields, who is battling lung cancer, said: "There is still a postcode lottery with some drugs, and these figures seem to prove that.

"I had to fight to get prescribed with Tarceva, and other people must still be facing an uphill battle with the higher-cost drugs."

The figures were obtained by Tory shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, under the Freedom of Information Act.

Spending on prescription cancer drugs in South Tyneside is £221.28 per patient, which is the second-lowest for a primary care trust (PCT) area in the country, while the figure for Norfolk is more than double that, at £506.82.

Only Bradford PCT is lower than South Tyneside, at £150.51 per patient.

Mum-of-two Diane Hamlani, 47, of Bamford Walk, South Shields, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer three years ago, said: "I am quite surprised by these figures, because I was able to obtain Herceptin to fight my cancer when I was first diagnosed.

"I know other women who got the drug, but I suppose not all cancer patients will have the same experience in getting the treatment they need."

On average, PCTs in England spend £390.17 per patient, allowing for statistical anomalies, but the data revealed wide regional discrepancies in spending on new high-cost cancer drugs.

But figures also reveal that the amount spent on cancer wonder-drug Herceptin, which Mrs Hamlani was prescribed, is better in the North East of England than in most other PCT areas.

Spending per 100 chemotherapy patients in the region is £101,597, compared with an English average of £68,753.

But Mr Lansley said it was clear that the clinical treatment of patients in different parts of the country was being dictated by financial considerations.

"It is clear that in different parts of the country radically different approaches are being taken on whether patients should be given access to these new drugs," he said.