NICE approves new treatment for advanced prostate cancer – but will men actually be able to access it?

Darolutamide is given with hormone therapy (ADT) and has fewer side effects than ADT combined with other equivalent therapies. This combination treatment offers a gentler treatment option for men who are older or who cannot be prescribed existing treatments, such as docetaxel chemotherapy, enzalutamide, or apalutamide.

However, recent data from the National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) shows that less than half (47%) of men with incurable prostate cancer receive the latest treatments recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

In the worst-hit areas, less than 40% of men get the best treatments, in a ‘postcode lottery’ of care. Men who are Black, older, or living in areas of deprivation are even less likely to receive these vital life-extending treatments.

The Government must act to end prostate cancer treatment inequities

We’re calling on the Government to put mechanisms in place so that NICE-approved treatments like darolutamide are delivered equitably and effectively across the country.

Amy Rylance, our Assistant Director of Health Improvement, said: "Darolutamide is an effective treatment that could make a huge difference for men with incurable prostate cancer. But the reality is that too many men will still miss out on treatments that could extend their lives, simply because of where they live, their age, or their ethnicity.

"NICE approval is only the first step – the Government must ensure the new National Cancer Plan tackles these inequities and ensures that proven treatments actually reach the men who need them."

Join our call for urgent action on early detection

We’ve long warned that postcode lotteries in diagnosis and care are putting lives at risk. Only half of prostate cancers are caught at the early stages, when the disease is easier to treat.

We’re calling for more action from the Government – including changing guidance so GPs can proactively reach out to men at highest risk.

Over the last 16 years, we've led key scientific advances that have brought us closer to screening than ever before, by developing more accurate tests and treatments that are kinder to men, and campaigning for their adoption across the UK. But there’s still a way to go.

Sign up to our mailing list today to stand with us and join our campaign for an early detection programme for men at highest risk of prostate cancer.