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A charity has raised concerns that the NHS is providing unnecessary treatment for prostate cancer in men, with approximately 5,000 individuals each year undergoing treatments for cancers that are unlikely to pose any harm. While a majority of prostate cancer cases require treatment, roughly one in four cases are slow-growing, allowing men to opt for regular monitoring instead. By choosing monitoring over surgeries and radiotherapy, men can avoid potential side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
Out of the 56,000 prostate cancer diagnoses in the UK annually, approximately 6,500 men choose monitoring as a treatment option. However, analysis conducted by Prostate Cancer UK indicates that an additional 5,000 men could potentially benefit from this approach. The charity attributes this issue to outdated guidelines, particularly those produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which is currently reviewing its recommendations.
NICE currently advises regular monitoring for low-risk cases in England and Wales, where nine out of 10 men show no signs of cancer spreading within five years. Recent research has suggested that this monitoring approach could be extended to include the next lowest risk group, where eight out of 10 men also display no signs of cancer spreading. Despite some hospitals already offering monitoring to a wider group of patients, a quarter have yet to adopt this practice.
Prostate Cancer UK estimates that this discrepancy in offering monitoring has resulted in over-treatment rates varying from 2% to 24% across different hospitals in England. This ultimately leads to around 5,000 men each year receiving treatment that may not always be necessary. The charity believes that a more proactive approach from the NHS in offering monitoring could help bolster the case for prostate cancer screening, especially following the diagnosis of Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy
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