Football Hero Sir Geoff Hurst MBE Urges: Access To Prostate Cancer Care Shouldn't Be Left To Chance

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Men's health;  Urology / Nephrology
Article Date: 02 Jul 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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World Cup legend Sir Geoff Hurst, MBE, backed by leading doctors, MPs and patient groups today appealed for all men with prostate cancer to get access to the best care as it emerged 7 out of 10 with advanced disease do not receive chemotherapy despite being eligible for treatment.1 Senior cancer specialists warned that while some men may have been offered chemotherapy and turned it down, others may never have been given the option at all, and so many patients are currently not being offered the full choice of treatments that could extend their lives.

The new '7 out of 10' campaign, which is calling for all men with prostate cancer to be made fully aware of their options, was launched today by England football hero Sir Geoff Hurst MBE by the Houses of Parliament in London. To illustrate the '7 out of 10' statistic, he was joined by 10 men, including seven dressed only in underwear bearing the campaign's distinctive dice logo and the slogan "Access to prostate cancer care shouldn't be left to chance".

An early day motion supporting the '7 out of 10' campaign, sponsored by Howard Stoate MP, chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Men's Health, has been laid down in Parliament which MPs are being urged to sign. Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords are also being encouraged to ask Parliamentary questions and write to their NHS Trust about whether patients are being offered all treatment options, including chemotherapy, in line with NICE guidelines.

Around 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year2 making it the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK.3 It kills around 10,000 men every year, or 27 every day, placing it second only to lung cancer as the most common cancer killer of men. 4

Launching the new campaign, Sir Geoff Hurst, MBE, whose hat trick famously won the 1966 World Cup Final for England, said: "Like any footballer, luck as well as skill has played a part in my success. There are some who would argue that were it not for a fortunate decision by the linesman on my second goal in the final in 1966, England might not have gone on to win the World Cup. However when it comes to your health, none of us want to take any chances and so that is why I am backing this campaign. It is important that men with this disease, which is the most common cancer in British men, know all their options so they can make informed decisions and get the best possible care they can."

Metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer (mHRPC) is an advanced stage of the disease at which the tumour initially stops responding to hormone therapy. There are a range of treatment options for patients at this stage of the disease including bone-targeted therapies, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.5

Of the 10,000 men who die from prostate cancer each year4 it is believed most are in men with mHRPC6. It is estimated that almost half may have been fit enough to receive chemotherapy1, yet only 1,421 patients actually received chemotherapy in 20071, leaving seven in 10 who missed out on this treatment option.1

John Anderson, consultant urologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said: "There are major differences across the country which means many men with advanced prostate cancer patients are not being offered the full range of treatments. Access to prostate cancer care should not be left to chance. We need to encourage better shared care across the country and for medical teams to work more closely together, so all patients are fully aware of their options."

Dr Amit Bahl, Consultant Oncologist at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, said: "Chemotherapy is a relatively new treatment option for men with this form of prostate cancer and needs to be considered at the right time to be able to benefit men. Healthcare teams should discuss all potential treatments with men as early as possible, so patients can consider their options and make the best choice for them at every stage of their care."

Dr Heather Payne, Consultant Oncologist, London and Chair of the British Uro-oncology Group (BUG) said; "These findings are consistent with initial research work into the management of advanced prostate cancer, initiated by BUG in 2007.7 This research suggests that around 30% of oncologists would choose to recommend chemotherapy as indicated in the clinical setting and a rapidly rising PSA. 7 Whilst the use of chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced metastatic hormone refractory prostate cancer is recommended by NICE and we have seen an increase in its usage over the past year, there is a significant way to go before all eligible men benefit from the timely intervention of the appropriate treatments."

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said in 2002 that all patients with urological cancers should be managed by multi-disciplinary urological cancer teams.8However in its Prostate Cancer Guideline this year the Institute stated that its earlier recommendations were not being universally implemented5 and its Guideline Development Group stated that the management of men who develop biochemical evidence of hormone refractory disease was not usually discussed at MDT meetings, despite NICE's 2002 recommendations.5

The '7 out of 10' campaign, which is being sponsored by sanofi-aventis, aims to ensure that all prostate cancer patients and their carers are made aware as early as possible of all potential treatment options and are empowered to make informed choices about the management of their disease. It also aims to drive the multi-disciplinary approach to the management of prostate cancer patients and to foster communication between urology and oncology teams as recommended by NICE, to ensure that all treatment options are fully explored with the patient.

About the 7 out of 10 figure

The figure was based on research1by sanofi-aventis, a leading pharmaceutical company with a strong portfolio in oncology, and validated by 10 clinical experts at two advisory meetings held in 2008.9 This figure may well include patients who have been offered chemotherapy and turned it down, but also those who have not been given the option or have had inadequate information to make an informed choice.

About sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions to improve the lives of everyone. Sanofi-aventis is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY). http://www.sanofi-aventis.com

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References

1. Data on file: 710 08/1180

2. Cancer Research UK. CancerStats Key Facts on Prostate Cancer. Available here. [last accessed 19 June 2008]

3. Cancer Research UK website. Available here. [last accessed 12 June 2008]

4. Cancer Research UK. Available here. [last accessed 12 June 2008]

5. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Prostate cancer: diagnosis and treatment: Clinical Guideline 58, February 2008. Available here. [last accessed June 12 2008]

6. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Docetaxel for the treatment of hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer. 2006 Available here. [last accessed June 12 2008]

7. British Uro-oncology Group presentation "Call for Your Points of View on Advanced Prostate Cancer" 2007

8. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Guideline on Improving outcomes in Urological Cancers. Available here. [ last accessed 20 June 2008]

9. Data on file: 710 08/1084

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