A “zip code lottery” in the treatment of prostate cancer claims thousands of lives each year, a charity has warned.
Men living in parts of the Northeast are almost six times more likely to be diagnosed after their cancer has spread than those in the country’s top-performing foundations.
According to an analysis by Prostate Cancer Research, patients in northern counties are significantly less likely to have access to state-of-the-art diagnostics and treatment compared to southern counties.
The charity said it was a “national tragedy” that the chances of surviving for the most common cancer in men could depend on where you live. She estimates around 3,000 lives a year could be saved if differences in late diagnosis were narrowed – and is urging more men to get tested.
The call comes at a time when Britain’s National Screening Committee is reviewing evidence on whether to roll out a full screening program for men over 50, or men at high risk.
Experts believe improvements in testing – including better scans and safer biopsies – mean the pros may finally outweigh the cons, with a decision expected by the end of the year.
While the UK remains ineligible, more needs to be done to improve access to the best healthcare available.
Nick Fletcher, 58, from Malton, North Yorkshire, who traveled 100 miles round-trip every day for prostate cancer treatment
Today, the Daily Mail is relaunching its End Needless Prostate Deaths campaign to improve prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Oliver Kemp, executive director of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “It is a national tragedy that just because you happen to live a hundred miles or more north, you are far more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
“While some people will fail chemotherapy, others will receive breakthrough targeted drugs that increase quality and quantity of life.”
“It’s time to end the zip code lottery and increase access to the latest diagnostic technologies and treatments.”
“A man who lives in County Durham should have the same chance of surviving this terrible disease as a man who lives in Berkshire.”
“Awareness is the first step, which is why this is an absolutely vital campaign for the Daily Mail.”
“Your readers can make a real difference.”
Early diagnosis is key to survival, as only a third of men live five years or more after the cancer has spread outside the prostate.
Oliver Kemp, executive director of Prostate Cancer Research, said: “It is a national tragedy that just because you happen to live a hundred miles or more north, you are far more likely to die from prostate cancer.”
Early diagnosis is key to survival, as only a third of men live five years or more after the cancer has spread outside the prostate
However, data from the National Prostate Cancer Audit shows that there are widespread inequalities in the likelihood of men being diagnosed when it is too late for a cure. In London’s top performing hospitals, just one in 20 cases of prostate cancer was diagnosed too late for life-saving treatment, compared with one in four in parts of the North East and Midlands.
The best-performing patients at Royal Free London, University College London and Whittington Health NHS Trust hospitals had just 5 per cent diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.
However, in the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and South Tees that rises to 29 per cent, while a quarter of men in the Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust were diagnosed after the cancer had already appeared elsewhere.
People living in more remote coastal areas were also more likely to have advanced cancer: 24 per cent in parts of Cornwall and Devon and 23 per cent in Norfolk.
Meanwhile, those closer to London, such as Brighton and East Sussex, and the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust fared far better, with just 7 per cent studying late.
In fact, 13 of the top 20 performing trusts were in the South – and 16 of the bottom 20 performing trusts were in the North.
Greg Smith, Tory MP for Buckingham and deputy leader of the APPG on Cancer, said: “Early diagnosis is vital and the inequalities we are seeing in this area across the country are putting lives at risk.”
Men in disadvantaged areas are also more likely to be diagnosed too late for a cure. Meanwhile, a staggering third (35 per cent) of men in Scotland and a fifth (19 per cent) of men in Wales were diagnosed with Stage 4 last year.
The Daily Mail has campaigned for nearly 25 years to raise awareness of prostate cancer, a disease that claims a man’s life in the UK every 45 minutes.
More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with the disease each year — 1,000 every week — making it the most common cancer in men and the second most common overall.
In 10,000 of these, the cancer is in stage 4 – meaning it has already spread throughout the body and is often incurable.
Health care has made significant strides since the Mail campaign began in 1999, but progress has been slow compared to breast cancer.
And this despite the fact that probably every eighth man will be diagnosed in the course of his life and around 475,000 men are living with or after prostate cancer. Not all men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer need treatment, but early detection allows for more accurate monitoring.
Greg Smith, Tory MP for Buckingham and deputy leader of the APPG on Cancer, said: “Early diagnosis is vital and the inequalities we are seeing in this area across the country are putting lives at risk.”
“Even when it comes to treatment, there are still zip code lotteries, not just for existing treatments, but also for new, innovative, minimally invasive technologies that are becoming available for all types of cancer.”
“It is vital that all UK patients have equal access to the best diagnosis and treatment.”
Aside from the huge differences in the stage of diagnosis, there are also big differences in the way men arrive at a cancer diagnosis, according to the charity.
Overall, there are 15 percent fewer diagnostic options available in the north.
Men in the Midlands and beyond generally have less access to a growing number of non-invasive procedures such as PET scans and non-invasive biopsies.
They also have 29 percent fewer treatment options within easy reach and may face significant challenges in accessing medical care.
An NHS spokesman said a record number of people were undergoing cancer screening and local services are now diagnosing more types of cancer – including prostate cancer – at an early stage than ever before. They added: “We know undergoing a prostate check can be daunting, but it could save your life. We therefore recommend men use the simple 30 second online risk checker developed by NHS and Prostate Cancer UK experts, or consult the should see your family doctor as soon as possible if you have any concerns.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services said: “Early diagnosis of cancer can save lives. So if you notice anything that is not normal for you, have any health concerns or symptoms, you should contact your GP.”
Discussion about this post