Experts warn that the government's plans for prostate cancer screening are insufficient.<\/p>\n
New Health Minister James Murray on Tuesday accepted advisers' recommendations to limit routine screening to just a few thousand men and invited all black men aged 45 to 74 to take part in a screening pilot.<\/p>\n
However, this has not been enough to meet calls for routine screening for other at-risk groups, including those with a family history of the disease.<\/p>\n
Charities and campaigners said the decision would worsen "appalling inequalities", while surgeons said the latest guidance was so confusing it could reduce the number of men seeking screening and increase deaths.<\/p>\n
The Telegraph newspaper calls for targeted screening, which would offer prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing to men with a family history of the disease, black men, and men with high-risk genes. This approach was supported by a national survey of urologists\u2014specialists who treat prostate cancer.<\/p>\n
However, last week, government advisers recommended limiting access to prostate cancer screening to just "a few thousand" men.<\/p>\n
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) said that limiting screening to a subgroup of men with a BRCA2 gene variant and a specific family history of the condition was the only way to ensure the programme "would do more good than harm".<\/p>\n
According to data, black men are twice as likely to develop and die from prostate cancer as the average white man.<\/p>\n
However, because the studies examining the effects of screening included so few black men, the committee said it could not say whether the benefits outweighed the harms.<\/p>\n
However, the decision to expand participation in the trial to black men may indicate some impatience among ministers with the caution shown by their advisers, which many believe is based on outdated research.<\/p>\n
Now all black men aged 45 to 74 who have not previously been tested will be able to take part in a \u00a320 million national screening trial called Transform if the first phase is successful.<\/p>\n
Studies have also shown that a family history of prostate cancer increases the risk of developing it. Men whose father or brother has had the disease are two and a half times more likely to develop it.<\/p>\n
However, the UK's National Screening Centre used a narrow definition of family history and concluded that the benefits of screening did not outweigh the harms. <\/p>\n
Professor Chris Booth, a consultant urological surgeon and founder of men's health charity Chaps, said the decision was "contrary to the available evidence" and could lead to an increase in prostate cancer deaths.<\/p>\n
He accused the government of failing to listen to prostate cancer experts and evidence showing that the use of MRI and other diagnostic tools significantly reduced potential harm.<\/p>\n
Professor Booth said the latest decisions could create potentially fatal confusion among both patients and GPs, which could lead to a reduction in the number of people seeking testing.<\/p>\n
He said: "The delay and confusion caused by these new proposals does not address the UK's current prostate cancer problems and in the short term is more likely to result in people being killed than saved.".<\/p>\n
\u00abPublic pressure must continue until the Department of Health addresses the appalling inequalities in access to screening, diagnosis and optimal treatment for our most common cancer, the only one for which there is no open and transparent national screening programme.\u00bb.<\/p>\n
The government's plan falls far short of calls for routine screening for at-risk groups.<\/p>\n
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who has two brothers with prostate cancer, said he was "ready to fight" the disease.<\/p>\n
Later this week, he will join the health minister for a roundtable discussion on recruiting more black men into clinical trials.<\/p>\n
He said, "The fight against prostate cancer is very important to me. I have two brothers who have this disease, and I've seen firsthand the damage it does to people and their families.".<\/p>\n
\u00ab"Recruiting more Black men to participate in this study aims to save lives, address deadly inequities, and provide insight into what works best for those most at risk.".<\/p>\n
Experts have said that failure to implement testing for men with a family history of the disease will condemn thousands of people to premature death.<\/p>\n
Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the decision was a "missed opportunity for men's health", accusing the government of failing to take the chance to prevent "more deaths of fathers, brothers and sons".<\/p>\n
David James, director of patient engagement and impact projects at Prostate Cancer Research, said the decision to accept the National Prostate Cancer Council UK recommendation was "deeply disappointing".<\/p>\n
He added: "For those most at risk, this decision to accept the UK National Screening Committee's recommendation will be seen as another setback. This government has missed a historic opportunity.". <\/p>\n
In 2024, Sir Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic gold medalist in track cycling, announced that at the age of 47, he was terminally ill with prostate cancer. Despite a family history of the disease, shared by his father and grandfather, Sir Chris had not been offered the PSA test that could have detected it. According to the committee's recommendation, individuals with such a family history would not be eligible for screening.<\/p>\n
Nick Jones, founder of Soho House, is an advocate for screening, having been treated for prostate cancer himself after a tumour was discovered during a private examination in 2022.<\/p>\n
Mr Jones accused the government of "half-heartedly" endorsing the National Security Council's recommendations.<\/p>\n
He said, "When I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, I had no symptoms. I was lucky that I had private health insurance, which offered me the screening that detected the cancer and saved my life. Most men aren't so lucky. The current system is unfair and out of date.".<\/p>\n
The government also promised to develop new guidance to help GPs "support men with a suspected family history of prostate cancer" seeking screening.<\/p>\n
Men without symptoms can already request a PSA test from their primary care physician, but, surprisingly, family doctors cannot offer it on their own initiative.<\/p>\n
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 63,000 cases diagnosed and 12,000 deaths each year. However, it remains the only major cancer for which there is no national screening programme.<\/p>\n
The announcement on Monday followed a meeting the same day between Mr Murray and the chairman of the UK National Security Council.<\/p>\n
Mr Murray said: \u00abThis is a major step forward in the fight against prostate cancer, focusing on those at greatest risk, improving available treatments and supporting the research needed to close evidence gaps and save lives.\u00bb.<\/p>\n
\u00ab"We follow scientific recommendations to ensure men get answers to their questions earlier and receive better care, and to avoid unnecessary harm.".<\/p>\n
\u00abBy investing in research through trials like Transform, we are creating a more equitable and effective prostate cancer screening system for the future.\u00bb.<\/p>\n
Prostate Cancer UK said last week it was "deeply disappointed" with the National Prostate Cancer Council UK's recommendations.<\/p>\n
However, on Tuesday the charity said plans to expand the screening programme to more black men as part of a \u00a320 million package was a "truly historic moment".<\/p>\n
Try The Telegraph today for full free access. Discover their award-winning website and essential news app, plus helpful tools and expert guides on finance, health, and leisure.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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