Prostate patients 'get second-rate NHS care'

Prostate cancer patients are receiving ‘second-rate’ care on the NHS compared to women with breast cancer, a new report from male cancer charity Orchid has warned.

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in England, with an estimated one in eight men developing it at some point in their lives. Despite mortality rates improving substantially thanks to earlier diagnoses, prostate cancer still kills 10,800 men annually. The report warns that despite its high prevalence, men with the illness suffer far worse care than other cancer patients.

The report highlights a number of factors that contribute to this gap in care. First, there are just 280 specialist NHS nurses in England for all urological cancers (which include prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular), compared to 425 for breast cancer.

Orchid also found that life-extending treatments, such as Docetaxel and Abiraterone, are not made available across the NHS in a fair way. Plus, only one third of men with the diseases are offered the chance to take part in clinical trials, which could pave the way for new treatments for all patients.  

Paul Burstow MP, the Lib Dem former health and cancer minister, is supporting the new drive: “This report shines a light on the worrying areas of unmet need and specifically quantifies the level of improvement needed. Why should men with prostate cancer have to cope with second-rate services, a lack of vital support and limited access to world class drug treatments and clinical trials?”

The report makes 15 recommendations on prostate cancer to bodies including NHS England, the Department of Health and the government. Among other things, it calls for care plans for all patients to be drawn up by teams that include a surgeon and medical and clinical oncologists. It also recommends encouraging wider participation in drug trials.

Rebecca Porta, Orchid's Chief Executive, commented: “We want to use this report to influence change at a policy level to improve patient care and ensure that all men living with prostate cancer get the support they need to tackle the disease head on. It's absolutely imperative that patients have access to good quality treatments that will not only manage their disease but also improve their quality of life.”