Diagnosing prostate cancer at a later stage can bring a treatment bill more than treble that for early diagnosis, along with the likelihood of worse health outcomes.
Data from Healix Health found that early-stage, localised prostate cancer typically incurs around £30,000 in first-year costs.
However, first-year treatment for stage three disease may reach up to £50,000 with stage four potentially exceeding £100,000 per year, the provider noted.
And because advanced disease typically requires long-term ongoing management, including regular imaging and continuous treatment, Healix warned that cumulative claims costs can easily exceed half a million pounds per individual over time.
The provider said it had reviewed thousands of employer health plans to conduct the analysis of the costs.
It added that according to Prostate Cancer UK, the disease was now the most common form of cancer in England, with a significant 25% increase in cases between 2019 and 2023, although this was potentially driven by greater awareness.
It said in many early diagnosis cases, watchful waiting was a recognised and recommended alternative to immediate intervention, with patients being closely monitored.
“As a result, actual scheme costs can be significantly lower when active treatment is avoided,” it said.
“In contrast, later-stage prostate cancer (stages 3 and 4) often requires a multimodal approach involving radiotherapy, systemic hormone therapies, advanced imaging, and sometimes chemotherapy or newer generation agents.
“This significantly increases both the complexity and cost of care.”
Healix Health head of clinical operations Keira Wallis said: “These figures are a wake-up call for employers. According to Cancer Research UK, prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death in men after lung cancer – and it’s often symptomless in its early stages.
“Long NHS waiting lists for cancer diagnoses means the role of employers is becoming increasingly vital.
“To reduce the financial burden on employers and individuals its vital businesses invest in early awareness and education, including encouraging individuals to seek clinical advice if they have family history of the illness.
“Taking early action not only saves lives, but also gives businesses more flexibility to invest in preventative care and offer a broader range of physical and mental health benefits without having to make tough trade-offs.”