Landmark prostate cancer study transforms care for local men
Men with prostate cancer in Shropshire are benefitting from better survival rates, thanks to a landmark international study involving The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).
The trust played a vital role in the STAMPEDE trial—one of the world’s largest and most influential studies for prostate cancer. Over recent years, SaTH recruited more than three hundred local patients, making sure they were among the first in the country to try new, innovative treatments, including abiraterone, years before these were routinely available on the NHS.
The results have been remarkable. The trial found that adding abiraterone to standard treatment could almost double survival times for some men, and cut the risk of dying from prostate cancer by up to half. The treatment has also been shown to halve the risk of the disease coming back.
Dr John Jones, Medical Director at SaTH, said: “Cancer touches so many lives across our community. This achievement shows what can be done when research and clinical teams work together, and just how important clinical trials are for improving care."
"Thanks to the STAMPEDE trial, we are making real progress for patients in Shropshire and beyond.”
These results led to the treatment being approved for wider use across England, meaning many more men newly diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer can now access life-changing therapies.
SaTH is marking Prostate Cancer Awareness Month by celebrating the hard work of its teams and the difference the STAMPEDE trial is making for patients today—and in the future.