Highlights
- NHS England rolls out prostate cancer drug Abiraterone to 8,000 newly diagnosed men annually.
- Drug previously restricted to advanced cases only, creating postcode lottery as Scotland and Wales already offered wider access.
- Clinical trials show abiraterone halves risk of cancer returning and reduces death risk by 40 per cent
The NHS has widened access to a life-saving prostate cancer drug across England in a move expected to save thousands of lives over the coming years.
Abiraterone, which works by starving cancer cells of hormones needed for growth, will now be offered to men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the prostate gland.
Until now, the drug was only available to patients with advanced prostate cancer that had already spread to other body parts. Scotland and Wales had already been prescribing it more widely, creating what charities described as a postcode lottery for treatment access.
NHS England secured the rollout with support from campaigners including Prostate Cancer UK.
The decision means approximately 8,000 men will qualify for the drug each year, with deaths in this group expected to fall from around 1,900 to fewer than 1,000.
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the UK, making it the most common male cancer. Annually, there are about 55,300 new diagnoses and 12,200 deaths.
Prof Peter Johnson, national clinical director at NHS England, told The Guardian that thousands of men could "kickstart their year with the news that they will have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives".
He added that the NHS would continue offering the most effective, evidence-based treatments, with several new prostate cancer drugs introduced over the past five years.
Patients will receive Abiraterone alongside a steroid called prednisolone and standard treatments including androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy.
Clinical impact evidence
A clinical trial led by University College London and the Institute of Cancer Research demonstrated the drug could halve the risk of prostate cancer returning and reduce death risk by 40 per cent in patients whose disease remained confined to the prostate.
Prostate Cancer UK estimates the decision will save more than 3,000 lives over the next five years.
Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at the charity, called the decision "a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will now be saved".
She said men in England had been in an impossible situation, stating "It's terrifying to be told you've got a cancer that's likely to spread to then find out you can't access the treatment that science has proven to be your best chance at surviving is completely devastating."
She added "We refused to accept this outcome for men, and we didn't stop until we changed it."
Health secretary Wes Streeting noted that he was "delighted" by the decision, noting that Abiraterone "significantly improves survival rates and can give patients precious extra years of life".
He added "We're backing the best clinical evidence, making smart funding decisions and ensuring patients get the care they need when they need it most."
