Prostate Cancer Breakthrough

Men with an aggressive form of prostate cancer could soon benefit from a revolutionary drug, following the publication of this major clinical trial. Scientists are confident that breast cancer drug olaparib extends the lives of men who have cancer cells with faulty DNA repair genes.

Olaparib is the first drug of its kind which is genetically targeted and could be available through the NHS within as little as two years, with the US and Europe set to approve it as a treatment this year.

Globally, more than 1.3 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year and more than 415,000 men die from the disease.

Final results of the PROfound trial, which took place at the Institute of Cancer Research in London and funded by Astra Zeneca, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week. The work is the culmination of a decade of research funded by Movember through Prostate Cancer UK and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

“The results of the ProFOUND study represent the first major step forward for precision medicine for prostate cancer," said Dr Mark Buzza, director of biomedical research at Movember.

“This revolutionary approach to treating prostate cancer means fewer men will needlessly suffer the side effects of treatments that are unlikely to work for their particular disease.

“We hope this drug will be used to extend and improve the lives of men with prostate cancer in the near future.”