Only one health board provides 'highest quality' MRI scans for prostate cancer
Only one out of five health boards in Northern Ireland provide the highest quality MRI scan for prostate cancer, according to Prostate Cancer UK.
In Northern Ireland over 1,100 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, making it the most common form of male cancer.
Four out of five now provide MRI scans before biospy, with the fifith board provinding access via referral.
But the charity say only one is providing the scans to the highest standard set out by the PROMIS trial - a standard now reflected in guidelines set by the National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence.
In January 2017 results from the PROMIS trial showed that giving men with suspected prostate cancer a multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) scan before a biopsy can radically improve detection of harmful forms of the disease and enables some men to avoid unnecessary biopsies.
"Investment is needed if we are to ensure that all men with suspected cancer are to access an accurate diagnosis"
Prostate Cancer UK is calling for radiology departments across Northern Ireland to receive the resources they need to make high quality mpMRI scans available to all men who could benefit, now and in the future.
The charity is also urging that, until more robust evidence is available regarding the accuracy of bpMRI, the updated NICE recommendations are used to guide Health and Social Care Boards to ensure prostate MRI delivers the best outcomes for men.
Heather Blake, Director of Support and Influencing at Prostate Cancer UK said: “The health service in Northern Ireland has worked hard in difficult circumstances to provide a modern diagnostic service and improved access to the latest diagnostic scans for men with suspected prostate cancer.
“We are also pleased that Northern Ireland is making progress with its Cancer Strategy development. It is important that this sets the direction and provides the future investment needed to make sure provision of these scans in Northern Ireland is achieved at the standards set by NICE guidelines. We are committed to providing the support needed to make this a reality.”
Dr Suneil Jain, Queen’s University Belfast, said: “It is encouraging that these new data show an improvement in access to modern, effective prostate cancer diagnostic technology. I echo Prostate Cancer UK’s concern that direction-setting and investment are needed if we are to ensure that all men with suspected cancer are to access an accurate, and for some men less invasive, diagnosis.”
Supporters are being encouraged to contact their local health providers and share with them the tools Prostate Cancer UK has developed to help plan for future mpMRI demand.