According to a recent study, men dwelling in deprived areas are less likely to receive radiotherapy or surgery for prostate cancer, as compared to men living in prosperous areas.

Researchers studied about 35,000 men and it was found that there were substantial differences between the treatments, the rich and poor received. There is a gap as high as 7% in survival rates between the least and most deprived.

The use of surgery doubled between 1995 and 2006, but it was found that only most affluent underwent surgeries, with 8.4% of this group receiving treatment to remove the prostate gland. As far as the radiotherapy is concerned, about 29% of the wealthiest received this form of treatment, as compared to only 21% of the poorest.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in men and accounts for about 12% of male deaths from cancer in the UK.

Georgios Lyratzopoulos, the lead researcher said, "Given these uncertainties, the observed differences cannot be assumed to indicate differences in treatment quality".

Dr Sarah Cant of the Prostate Cancer Charity shared that anyone who is diagnosed with cancer has been be given clear information about the treatment options open to them, since 2006.