Today I am pleased to update the House on significant progress in improving treatment options for men with prostate cancer across England.
This Government are committed to improving cancer survival rates. Too many families across the country are affected by late diagnosis, unequal access to treatment, and variation in outcomes, and we are determined to change that. Our national cancer plan for England will set out how we will transform outcomes for cancer patients and improve their experiences of treatment and care.
That is why I am delighted to inform the House that for the first time, thousands of patients in England with prostate cancer will be able to receive the drug abiraterone, as the NHS expands access to this important treatment. Around 2,000 men diagnosed in the last three months with non-metastatic prostate cancer will now be able to receive abiraterone where it is of clinical benefit, alongside prednisolone. An additional 7,000 men each year are expected to become eligible for the drug, given in combination with prednisolone.
NHS England has been able to expand access to the drug for thousands more eligible patients thanks to the health service buying and delivering treatments at better value, following the clinical advice to roll this out last year.
Clinical research shows benefits for patients at earlier stages of the disease. Trials have demonstrated a six-year survival rate of 86% for men taking abiraterone compared with 77% for those receiving standard treatment—hormone therapy with or without radiotherapy. This represents a substantial improvement in outcomes for thousands of families affected by prostate cancer.
The NHS already commissions abiraterone, now available as a lower-cost generic medicine, for advanced prostate cancer, following the commissioning policy introduced in December 2024. Today’s important announcement extends these benefits to patients at an earlier stage of their disease.
I also want to acknowledge the important role of our partners, who have campaigned extensively on this issue and worked closely with NHS England to support this roll-out.
This decision marks a major step forward in our ongoing work to improve cancer outcomes, ensure earlier access to effective treatments, and support men and their families across England.
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