Catching prostate cancer early could save the NHS £500million every year, experts claim
- EXCLUSIVE: NHS may save £509m a year with early prostate cancer diagnosis
- READ MORE: ONE of 122 NHS trusts hits cancer diagnosis and treatment targets
Early diagnosis of prostate cancer could save the NHS more than half a billion pounds every year, experts have said.
The figure was revealed as research showed treating men with advanced cases of the disease is typically four times more expensive than when it is detected in its earlier stages.
Analysis by Prostate Cancer Research found care for those with the late-stage disease can cost up to £55,652 a year, compared to £13,247 for men diagnosed before it spreads.
It means the NHS is paying an extra £509million annually, while thousands of men are needlessly dying.
Prostate cancer is the most common type in men with one in eight set to develop it at some point in their lives. And delays to diagnosis mean around 12,000 men every year do not know they have it until after the disease has already spread.
Early diagnosis of prostate cancer could save the NHS more than half a billion pounds every year, experts have said (stock photo)
This is partly because there is still no single, reliable test for the disease – with the PSA blood test notorious for giving both false positives and negatives.
READ MORE: Only ONE of 122 NHS trusts is hitting crucial cancer diagnosis and treatment time targets – use our interactive tool to see how YOUR hospital fares
Last month the Mail revealed a postcode lottery in prostate cancer care is costing thousands of lives a year, with men in some areas less likely to have access to cutting-edge diagnostics and treatments.
Experts said a failure to deal with it is costing the taxpayer billions in the longer term – and around 3,000 men their lives each year. Oliver Kemp, of Prostate Cancer Research, said: ‘A failure to catch prostate cancer early can lead to years of expensive treatment and a much greater risk of death.
‘Urgent action is needed to catch cancer earlier and stop this unnecessary loss of life.
‘We need to invest in MRIs and better diagnosis technology to enable more men to be tested for cancer – the current system is letting men down and costing the NHS a fortune in the process.’
Men diagnosed at stage one or two, when the cancer is contained to the prostate, are most likely to have surgery if they need treatment. This typically costs around £13,247 compared to up to £55,652 for a year’s treatment with the hormone therapy and extra costs such as supportive medicines.
The Mail has fought for nearly 25 years to raise prostate cancer’s profile, arguing it gets only a fraction of the attention of diseases such as breast cancer. The rates of men diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer rose by 25 per cent after the pandemic, due to men visiting their GPs less often.
In North Tees and Hartlepool, the rate of men diagnosed late rose by 52 per cent, where the number of men awaiting results has increased threefold.
Analysis by Prostate Cancer Research found care for those with the late-stage disease can cost up to £55,652 a year, compared to £13,247 for men diagnosed before it spreads (stock photo)
National Prostate Cancer Audit data shows men living in parts of the North East are nearly six times more likely to be diagnosed after their cancer has spread than in the country’s top performing trusts.
But NHS data shows record numbers are receiving urological checks, including for prostate cancer, with 243,043 in the year ending August 2022 compared to 202,252 in the year before.
Health leaders plan to roll out more than 160 community diagnostic centres by 2025 to improve access to care and reduce NHS waiting lists. These will deliver a range of tests including MRIs.
An NHS spokesman said: ‘We are seeing record numbers of people coming forward for cancer checks and more people are being diagnosed at an earlier stage.
‘Prostate cancer doesn’t usually show symptoms at its earliest stages, and we will continue to raise awareness of the condition and encourage men to speak to their GP if they are concerned.’
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