NPCA press release 2026

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) has welcomed new findings from the National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA), published today by the National Cancer Audit Collaborating Centre (NATCAN), which shows a continuing rise in the numbers of men being diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in England and Wales.

The audit also highlights the growing demand facing NHS prostate cancer services in England and Wales. For the first time, more than 60,000 men were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer in England in 2025, with increasing numbers of men being diagnosed, treated and living longer with the disease.

The rise in diagnoses is driven primarily by more men being diagnosed at an earlier stage, putting additional downstream pressures on NHS capacity and resources to deliver increasing numbers of potentially curative treatments including surgery and radical radiotherapy.

Three-year survival has improved markedly for men newly diagnosed with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer in England. The three-year prostate cancer-specific mortality rate fell from 44.6% among men diagnosed in 2015 to 35.1% among those diagnosed in 2022.

Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer is an advanced form of the disease where the cancer has spread beyond the prostate but still responds to hormone therapy. Advances in systemic treatment intensification have enabled many patients to live and maintain their quality of life for longer.

The audit suggests that improved survival is likely to reflect, at least in part, the increasing use of more intensive systemic treatments over recent years. However, as more men live longer with prostate cancer, demand for surveillance, treatment and long-term follow-up services is expected to increase.

The report also highlights geographical variation in the delivery and availability of salvage radiotherapy and newer focal therapies, such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), across England. The audit recommends identifying and addressing barriers to care so that patients can access appropriate treatment options when suitable.

Other findings include:

Mr Tim Lane, President of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) and Consultant Urological Surgeon, said:

“These findings show real progress. Men with advanced prostate cancer are living longer, reflecting significant advances in treatment and care over recent years.

“But the report also highlights the challenges ahead. Rising numbers of diagnoses and improvements in survival mean more men will require specialist treatment, surveillance and long-term follow-up. 

“The NHS must have the workforce, capacity and infrastructure needed to meet this growing demand and ensure patients continue to receive timely, high-quality care.”

Professor Noel Clarke, Clinical Lead (Urology) of the National Prostate Cancer Audit, and representative for the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), said:

"The improvement in survival for men diagnosed with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer is encouraging and reflects important progress in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

"While more men are now living longer with the disease, there is still a need to ensure men are diagnosed and assessed promptly and that those with high-risk or locally advanced prostate cancer are considered for the full range of treatment options.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) can be found on the NATCAN website: https://www.natcan.org.uk/reports/npca-state-of-the-nation-report-2026

2.The National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA) evaluates patterns of care and outcomes and reports on diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England and Wales. As much as possible, it compares practice and outcomes against national guidance and quality standards, including those from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), to help NHS organisations benchmark their prostate cancer care against measurable standards and identify unwarranted variation in measures of processes and outcomes.

3. The NPCA is delivered by the Project Team, supported by members of NATCAN, its Clinical Reference Group, PPI group and wider stakeholders, including the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS), British Uro-oncology Group (BUG), Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP), NHS England, Prostate Cancer UK, Royal College of Surgeons of England and Welsh Government.