Life-extending drug boost for prostate cancer

THOUSANDS of men with advanced prostate cancer in England are set to benefit from a life-extending drug that can be taken at home, after it was given the go-ahead for NHS use.

- BY STORM NEWTON

Talazoparib, also known as Talzenna, is made by Pfizer. It is a once-daily pill that has been recommended for people whose cancer has spread by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

It should be taken alongside enzalutamide — another pill, which blocks the effect of the hormone testosterone on prostate cancer cells — and is suitable for patients who cannot have chemotherapy, or cannot tolerate other standard treatments.

The move has been hailed as a “real lifeline” for men with the disease.