§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to Written Answer by the Baroness Jay of Paddington on 19 May (WA 162–164,) whether they will explain the basis for the statement that in contrast to lung cancer and pancreatic cancers, prostate cancer may be life-threatening, but many are slow growing and death occurs through other causes; and whether this explains the fall in government-funded research into prostate cancer from £141,000 in 1996–97 to only £47,000 in 1997–98. [HL2802]
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonProstate cancer is common in older men and, while it can prove fatal, research suggests that many men with prostate cancer have no symptoms and die from other causes. Autopsy studies show that 30 per cent. of men over 59 who had no symptoms of prostate cancer while alive, have histological evidence of prostate cancer at the time of death. This percentage rises to over 50 per cent. in men over 80 years of age.
Fluctuations in departmental spending stem from the cycle of commissioning (as projects and programmes start and finish) rather than any policy to change funding levels. Prostate cancer has been identified as a priority area for Health Technology Assessment. This represents a significant commitment to prostate cancer research. The Department is about to commission research investigating the feasibility of conducting a multi-centre randomised trial of treatments for localised prostate cancer. The study, which is to begin later this year, will cost about £200,000 over a 12 month period.