Posted: 04 July 2025
Tagged: PCR News

Identifying and assessing regional variation in prescribing practices: a new research study from Prostate Cancer Research

This research has been financially supported by Bayer

June 2025

Prostate Cancer Research is conducting a new research study that will determine whether there is variation in relation to the treatments for prostate cancer and, if so, to understand what is driving this variation.

We are conducting a two-part study to evaluate variations in prescribing practices across the UK for prostate cancer patients. This will include a retrospective analysis of real-world prescribing data to identify patterns and trends, as well as surveys and interviews with healthcare professionals and prostate cancer patients to explore the reasons behind these variations in clinical practice.

Why does variation in treatment of prostate cancer patients matter?

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines offer clear recommendations for treatment of patients with prostate cancer. In practice, the choice of therapy can be influenced by a wide range of factors, from stage and comorbidities to patient preferences and local policies.

Despite its importance, there is currently little robust evidence on the extent of variation of practice across the UK, or what drives it. That’s a problem because any unwarranted variation can mean unequal access to care, inconsistent outcomes and missed opportunities for improvement.

Identifying and assessing regional variation in prescribing practices

The aim of the study is to identify and understand variation in treatments prescribed for prostate cancer patients. To achieve this, we are focused on the following objectives:

To map differences/variation in practice in relation to prescribing of treatments for prostate cancer over time.
To describe the drivers for differences/variation in prescribing practice.
To provide for future enrichment with routinely collected data, such as from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and National Prostate Cancer Audit (NPCA), once available.

The research study is using a mixed-method approach that includes reviewing retrospective prescribing data, gathering and analysing prospective qualitative/quantitative data derived from UK Freedom of Information requests, and surveys and interviews with both prostate cancer-treating clinicians and prostate cancer patients.

By identifying and assessing regional variation in prescribing practices, PCR intend to gather insights into the factors influencing clinical decisions related to treatments for prostate cancer. We also hope to better understand patient preferences when it comes to treatment choices, duration, and adherence.

The findings of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and are expected to contribute to a deeper understanding of treatment decisions. We also hope that findings from the study can contribute to the development of solutions and interventions that would enable more patients to receive the most appropriate care, no matter where they live.