By Geraldine Ohonba
Health Editor
Thousands of men in England living with advanced prostate cancer are set to gain access to a new life-extending treatment following approval for NHS use.
The drug, talazoparib — also known by its brand name Talzenna and manufactured by Pfizer — is a once-daily tablet that patients can take at home. It has been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for men whose prostate cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Talazoparib is prescribed in combination with enzalutamide, another oral medication that works by blocking testosterone, a hormone that fuels prostate cancer growth. The treatment is aimed at patients who are unable to undergo chemotherapy or who cannot tolerate other standard therapies.
Health experts and cancer charities have welcomed the decision, describing it as a major breakthrough and a “real lifeline” for men with limited treatment options.
The drug works by preventing cancer cells from repairing damaged DNA. Over time, this damage builds up, causing the cancer cells to die. Clinical trials have shown that men who took talazoparib alongside enzalutamide lived nearly nine months longer on average than those treated with enzalutamide alone. The combination also delayed disease progression.
NICE estimates that around 2,400 men in England will be eligible for the treatment, which became available on the NHS immediately following approval.
Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE, said the decision reflects the organisation’s commitment to improving quality of life for people with advanced cancer. She noted that the oral treatment offers flexibility and convenience, particularly for patients who cannot tolerate chemotherapy and have few remaining options.
The approval comes shortly after new data revealed that prostate cancer has overtaken breast cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. According to Prostate Cancer UK, 64,425 men were diagnosed in 2022, compared with 61,640 breast cancer cases. This represents a 24 per cent increase from the previous year.
Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said men whose cancer no longer responds to hormone therapy often face distress and uncertainty, especially if chemotherapy is not an option.
She described the approval of talazoparib as a significant moment, highlighting evidence that the treatment gives men valuable extra time with their families. Rylance added that men with certain genetic mutations, including BRCA and HRR alterations, may benefit even more from the therapy.
The decision marks a significant step forward in expanding treatment choices for men with advanced prostate cancer across England.
