Health and Me

Ishita Roy

NHS England Expands Access To Life Saving Prostate Cancer Drug

NHS expanded access of a life-extending <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/prostate-cancer">prostate cancer</a></span> drug after a campaign ran by a patient and a charity. This drug is <span>abiraterone</span>, which had been available on the NHS in Scotland and Wales since 2023, but now in England and Northern Ireland, except in the most severe cases. 

In the UK, the cancer drug is prescribed for patients with prostate cancer at a very advanced stage. However, now, the drug will be available to prostate cancer patients in England on the NHS, even for those where cancer has not metastasized or spread. This could save hundreds of lives. 

The assistant director of health improvement at charity Prostate Cancer UK, Amy Rylance said that the decision was "a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will not be saved". 

The charity estimated that this will enable 7,000 men a year to start their treatment, with around 1,470 cancers being avoided rom getting worse. This could save somewhere around 560 lives. 

The drug is soon to be available on NHS England in weeks. 

As per the Cancer Research UK, abiraterone is a hormone therapy drug. The Prostate Cancer UK notes that this is most commonly offered to men whose cancer has stopped responding to other types of cancer drugs. 

As per Mayo Clinic, it is used in combination with prednisone to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic high risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. This medicine is only available on doctor's prescription and is available as a tablet. 

The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It occurs when abnormal cells form and grow in that gland.

Experts say that not all prostate cancer is deadly. There are cancers that are slow-growing and will not affect a man's lifespan, which is found in 1 in 3 men over 50. Then there is a small number of very aggressive prostate cancers which move quickly and cause harm, this is why regular screening is important.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/olympic-cyclist-sir-chris-hoy-shares-his-diagnosis-of-prostate-cancer-from-a-common-shoulder-pain-article-151073418" data-type="tilCustomLink">Olympic Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy Shares His Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer From A Common Shoulder Pain</a>

<h2>Are There Any Tests For Prostate Cancer?</h2>

In the UK, there is no prostate cancer screening programme like those for breast, bowel and cervical cancer. The onus is therefore on men to request a blood test from their general practitioner once they are over 50. When not aware, it can become life-threatening as it did for Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic cyclist, who opened up on his diagnosis of the same through a shoulder pain last year.

Despite more men dying from prostate cancer than women from breast cancer, as per BBC, there are no reliable tests for this. The blood test that men over 50 request from their general practitioner measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA), released by the prostate, a small gland located below the bladder involved in the production of semen.

However, experts say that PSA levels can be high for many other reasons too, including enlarged prostate, inflammation, infection, recent vigorous exercise or sex.

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NHS expanded access of a life-extending prostate cancer drug after a campaign ran by a patient and a charity. This drug is abiraterone, which had been available on the NHS in Scotland and Wales since 2023, but now in England and Northern Ireland, except in the most severe cases. In the UK, the cancer drug is prescribed for patients with prostate cancer at a very advanced stage. However, now, the drug will be available to prostate cancer patients in England on the NHS, even for those where cancer has not metastasized or spread. This could save hundreds of lives. The assistant director of health improvement at charity Prostate Cancer UK, Amy Rylance said that the decision was "a momentous, life-saving victory for the thousands of men whose lives will not be saved". The charity estimated that this will enable 7,000 men a year to start their treatment, with around 1,470 cancers being avoided rom getting worse. This could save somewhere around 560 lives. The drug is soon to be available on NHS England in weeks. What Is Abiraterone?As per the Cancer Research UK, abiraterone is a hormone therapy drug. The Prostate Cancer UK notes that this is most commonly offered to men whose cancer has stopped responding to other types of cancer drugs. As per Mayo Clinic, it is used in combination with prednisone to treat patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and metastatic high risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer. This medicine is only available on doctor's prescription and is available as a tablet. What Is Prostate Cancer?The prostate is a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It occurs when abnormal cells form and grow in that gland.Experts say that not all prostate cancer is deadly. There are cancers that are slow-growing and will not affect a man's lifespan, which is found in 1 in 3 men over 50. Then there is a small number of very aggressive prostate cancers which move quickly and cause harm, this is why regular screening is important.Read: Olympic Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy Shares His Diagnosis Of Prostate Cancer From A Common Shoulder PainAre There Any Tests For Prostate Cancer?In the UK, there is no prostate cancer screening programme like those for breast, bowel and cervical cancer. The onus is therefore on men to request a blood test from their general practitioner once they are over 50. When not aware, it can become life-threatening as it did for Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic cyclist, who opened up on his diagnosis of the same through a shoulder pain last year.Despite more men dying from prostate cancer than women from breast cancer, as per BBC, there are no reliable tests for this. The blood test that men over 50 request from their general practitioner measure prostate-specific antigen (PSA), released by the prostate, a small gland located below the bladder involved in the production of semen.However, experts say that PSA levels can be high for many other reasons too, including enlarged prostate, inflammation, infection, recent vigorous exercise or sex.