For almost 10 long years, men suffering with prostate cancer have been waiting for the slow paced drug called Provenge to be approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

This year in April the FDA gave its approval to the drug Provenge making it the first therapeutic cancer vaccine which got it. After several clinical trials which prove that it can extend the life of a prostate cancer patient by four months.

A range of complications associated with the drug have contributed in making the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decide on conducting a review of the drug this week on Wednesday. The issues involve the high cost of the drug, very small term improvement in the life expectancy and a very limited supply over the coming half a year.

The intentions of the CMS regarding the review are not yet clear and no one knows whether it will restrict the access of the drug to certain patients or ask for a reduction in the cost price which is $93,000 presently.

Every year almost 217,000 new prostate cases are diagnosed and around 32,000 men lose their lives to the disease. Doctors, patients and their friends and families are now eagerly waiting for the decision of the CMS.