NHS broadens availability of prostate cancer medication in England to save numerous lives 

In another move to save thousands of lives, the NHS has increased access to a prostate cancer drug in England.

The men who will be offered Abiraterone, that starve the cancer cells by depriving them of hormones they require to grow, will be those who have just been diagnosed with the cancer and whose cancer has not reached outside the prostate.

In the past, the drug was only accessible to patients who had developed further prostate cancer, which had spread to other body parts. It has been prescribed more frequently in Scotland and Wales already, a difference that charities said had resulted in a postcode lottery.

The NHS indicated that the implementation in England had been facilitated through the help of campaigners such as Prostate Cancer UK.

It is projected that the decision will result in approximately 8000 men having access to the drug annually, and in this cohort, it will help to prevent approximately 1900 deaths annually due to prostate cancer, to less than 1000 deaths annually.

The most prevalent cancer in men is prostate cancer, with one in eight individuals affected in the UK, with an annual incidence of 55,300 and 12,200 deaths. 

According to Peter Johnson, the national clinical director at NHS England, thousands of men would be able to kickstart their year on the news that they stand a better chance of leading long and healthy lives.

He said: “The NHS will continue to work hard to offer people the most effective and evidence-based treatment with several new prostate cancer drugs rolled out over the last five years. 

The use of Abiraterone will involve usage in conjunction with a steroid, prednisolone, and regular therapies such as androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and radiotherapy.

A clinical trial conducted by scientists at University College London and the Institute of Cancer Research discovered that the drug had the potential to reduce the risks of prostate cancer returning as well as dying by half in the case of the disease that had not spread past the prostate.

It is estimated that over 3000 lives will be saved in the next five years by the decision taken by Prostate Cancer UK.

Amy Rylance, an assistant director of health improvement with the charity, said: “This decision is a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will now be saved.

“Until now, men in England have found themselves in an impossible situation. 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.”