Breakthrough on prostate cancer boosts survival rate

British researchers have discovered that combining two drugs can dramatically boost survival rates among men suffering from aggressive prostate cancer.

By adding abiraterone to standard hormone therapy, they cut the death rate by 37 per cent, compared with that for men on normal hormone therapy alone.

Professor Nicholas James of Birmingham University, who led the trial, said: ‘These are the most powerful results I’ve seen from a prostate cancer trial – it’s a once-in-a-career feeling. This is one of the biggest reductions in death I’ve seen in any clinical trial for adult cancers.’

Half of the 1,917 men in the trial received hormone therapy alone and the other half the combination. In the former group there were 262 deaths, and in the latter 184.

The results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago yesterday.

Each year more than 45,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK, and 11,000 die. Sir Harpaul Kumar of Cancer Research UK said: ‘These results could transform the treatment of prostate cancer.’

Dr Iain Frame, of charity Prostate Cancer UK, said: ‘These results are further evidence that earlier, combined use of existing treatments can improve the survival of men with advanced prostate cancer.’

At the moment abiraterone, also known as Zytiga, is used by the NHS for patients with advanced prostate cancer.