NHS are currently looking into a new treatment for prostate cancer that would reduce by half the likelihood of death.
Abiraterone – which is taken in tablet form – is already used as a type of hormone therapy for men with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.
The treatment stops the body from producing testosterone. This helps to keep the disease in check.
But now a study has found the treatment is effective in patients with locally advanced prostate cancer which hasn’t yet spread.
It could slash the risk of death in these patients who have the disease at an earlier stage by 50 per cent – and is now being considered for use by NHS England.
One revolutionary hormone treatment, already in use to combat advanced prostate cancer, could reduce by half the chance of death for those who are at an earlier stage.
The Lancet published the study as part of a 6-year-long trial. This was conducted by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the Institute of Cancer Research.
A total of 1,974 patients were enrolled across two arms of the trial – 988 were given the current standard treatment while the rest were given this combined with abiraterone.
About half the people in the Abiraterone Group were also administered enzalutamide.
After six years of monitoring, the researchers found that adding abiraterone – whether alone or alongside enzalutamide – improved survival and decreased the chance of the cancer spreading.
Abiraterone treatment resulted in 73% of the men dying from prostate cancer, while standard care was only 15%.
Combinations of hormones produced similar results but had more side effects.
Current standard treatment for those whose prostate cancer hasn’t spread yet involves hormone therapy with or without chemotherapy, often combined with radiotherapy
According to scientists, these results suggest that the use of abiraterone in the treatment of prostate cancer at an earlier stage could prolong lives and help prevent it from spreading.
More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK and around 22,000 patients are considered at ‘high risk’ of their cancer spreading.
Current standard treatment for those whose cancer hasn’t spread yet involves hormone therapy with or without chemotherapy, often combined with radiotherapy.
Researchers hope the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence will publish an updated guideline based upon their findings soon.
Study co-leader Professor Nick James said: ‘Currently, abiraterone is only given to patients with very advanced prostate cancer.
‘Our latest findings are the first to show the drug can also benefit men whose cancer is at an earlier stage – improving survival and reducing the chance of progression.’
‘The next step is for NICE to consider and implement our findings, so that men can benefit from abiraterone before their cancer has spread.’