The NHS in England has expanded access to the prostate cancer drug abiraterone, a move expected to save thousands of lives. The drug, which starves cancer cells of hormones needed to grow, will now be offered to about 8,000 newly diagnosed men each year whose cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. Previously, it was only available to patients with advanced cancer that had spread to other parts of the body.
This rollout addresses a postcode lottery, as the drug was already more widely prescribed in Scotland and Wales. Prostate Cancer UK, which campaigned for the change, hailed the decision as “momentous.” The charity estimates the move will save more than 3,000 lives over the next five years, reducing annual deaths among eligible men from around 1,900 to fewer than 1,000.
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the UK, with about 55,300 new diagnoses and 12,200 deaths each year. Abiraterone will be given alongside a steroid and standard treatments such as androgen deprivation therapy and radiotherapy. A clinical trial led by University College London and the Institute of Cancer Research found the drug can halve the risk of recurrence and reduce the risk of death by 40% in non-metastatic cases.
Prof Peter Johnson, NHS England’s national clinical director, said thousands of men could “kickstart their year with the news that they will have a better chance of living longer and healthier lives.” Health Secretary Wes Streeting expressed delight, stating the drug “significantly improves survival rates and can give patients precious extra years of life.”
Amy Rylance of Prostate Cancer UK described the previous situation as “terrifying” for men unable to access proven treatments. “We refused to accept this outcome for men and we didn’t stop until we changed it,” she said.
