Prostate patients denied treatment

THOUSANDS of new prostate cancer sufferers unable to tolerate chemo are being denied a drug that can prolong their lives by 15 months.

Abiraterone has been rejected as a first-use treatment on the NHS by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

The drug stops production of testosterone, stifling tumour growth.

Advanced sufferers are treated with it if hormone medication or chemotherapy fail. But campaigners say it should also go to those men who cannot tolerate chemo.

An appeal by Prostate Cancer UK and makers Janssen has failed to reverse a decison by NICE ruling the drug was too costly in their case.

Prostate Cancer UK called for a price cut, and said: “No man should miss out on additional months of life simply because he is unable to have chemotherapy.”