NHS offers new prostate cancer drug that boosts survival rate

Thousands of men with advanced prostate cancer in England are to be offered a drug that can halve the risk of death.

- Andrew Gregory Health editor

In guidance published today, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the green light to darolutamide, which attacks the disease by starving cancer cells and has fewer side effects than existing treatments.

At least 6,000 men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer will get access to the novel treatment, also known as Nubeqa and made by Bayer, on the NHS each year.

Darolutamide, taken as two tablets twice daily, works by blocking hormones fuelling cancer growth. The treatment is delivered alongside androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a hormone therapy that lowers testosterone levels.

Data shows the treatment combination is better than using ADT alone and is as effective as other combination treatments, according to Nice.