Gustaf.
We have been using ns_cache 1.5 on openacs.org for quite some time. It does not include a "pattern" argument to ns_cache names.
From this the parameter was added on May 8, 2003
http://aolserver.cvs.sourceforge.net/aolserver/nscache/tclcache.c?view=log
and ns_cache 1.5 was released on March 16, 2003.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=3152&package_id=60515&release_id=146794
Maybe someone can do a new release of ns_cache, the only difference is that optional pattern parameter.