A better future for men: why routine screening is still within reach

If you’re living with prostate cancer today, think back to the moment you received your diagnosis. Did it come as a complete surprise? Totally out of the blue?

You’re not alone. Today, it’s still very common for a man to find out he has prostate cancer by total chance. 

Some prostate cancers are only found during routine health checks, from a blood test for an unrelated condition, or when symptoms start to show up. All too often, these cancers have already reached a more advanced stage.

We want to change this. So that every man knows about his risk of prostate cancer and is invited for routine tests that will help him spot the early warning signs, before the cancer has spread to other parts of his body.

A safe, accurate and effective screening programme is our best chance of helping more men find prostate cancer early, when it’s easier to treat.

And that’s why what happens over the next few months is so important, to help us save men’s lives for decades to come.

Why has prostate cancer screening been in the news recently?

In November 2025, a panel of experts called the UK National Screening Committee completed their long-awaited review of the latest evidence for prostate cancer screening.

Their task was to evaluate all the information and advise the Government on whether there should be a nationwide screening programme for prostate cancer.

After years of research and campaigning, this was a critical crossroads on our journey. And the committee’s decision was the subject of intense discussion and debate, provoking strong views from politicians, public figures and commentators.

What did the National Screening Committee say?

The committee said there isn’t currently enough evidence to start routine screening for the vast majority of men. That includes Black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer, who we know are at increased risk of getting the disease.

However, they did recommend screening tests, every two years, for men who have a high risk of prostate cancer due to rare variations in their genetics.

There are around 30,000 men in the UK who have these rare variations in their BRCA genes, and they could soon be invited for screening. This is a small step in the right direction – but it means millions more men will still not be eligible for regular tests that would give them their best chance of an early diagnosis.

The Government will make a decision about screening following a public consultation on the committee’s recommendation, which comes to an end in February.

Why can’t we have screening for all men right away?

Right now it’s up to men to know their own risk of prostate cancer and talk to their GP about the option of having a PSA blood test to check for early warning signs.

But because prostate cancer doesn’t usually cause symptoms in the early stages, lots of men only find out they have the disease when it’s already too late for a cure.

So surely it makes sense to screen all men, to catch their prostate cancer before it spreads?

The problem is that some cancers are harmless and should be left alone – and a large-scale screening programme could lead to some men having unnecessary biopsies and treatments that might cause them serious side effects.

It’s this careful balance we have to strike – to make sure a screening programme finds the most threatening cancers early enough to take action, while avoiding unnecessary harm to men whose cancer will never cause them problems.

The National Screening Committee says that there isn’t enough evidence to show that the benefits of diagnosing more men early would outweigh the possible harms of tests and treatments.

But we’re working hard to fund groundbreaking research that could soon provide vital new evidence.

What can we do to make sure more men get access to screening?

Although the committee’s recommendation is disappointing, there are lots of reasons to be hopeful. A better future for men is still within our grasp – and we now have the chance to grab it with both hands.

That’s because we’re already on the right path to a much bigger screening programme that will one day invite all men for routine tests.

In recent years, research that we’ve funded has driven forward major improvements in testing, finding safer and more accurate ways to diagnose the disease. Our groundbreaking research project – the £42 million TRANSFORM trial – is the final piece in this puzzle. 

It has the potential to deliver the vital remaining evidence we need, showing us the best way to screen men for prostate cancer.

I’m living with prostate cancer today. What’s being done to support men like me?

With greater public awareness of prostate cancer, more men are taking steps to check their risk and ask their GP for a PSA blood test. And that means more men are getting diagnosed early, when they have their best chance of successfully treating the disease. 

Over the next 10 years, the number of men who are living with prostate cancer will continue to increase – and it’s vital that we’re here to support them. 

So while we fund the research that will one day lead us to a screening programme for all men, we’re also investing in the innovative science that will help develop more precise and personalised methods of treating the disease – giving men their best chance of controlling their cancer, while reducing the often life changing impacts of treatment side effects.

At the same time, we’re continuing to provide reliable and trustworthy health information, to help men who have prostate cancer move forward with their lives with clarity and confidence. And we’re making sure our dedicated support services are available to men and their loved ones too, whenever they need them.

Follow the latest developments on prostate cancer screening

A screening programme for prostate cancer is our best chance of giving all men hope of a lifechanging early diagnosis.

Find out more about prostate cancer screening and how you can help make routine testing a reality for men across the UK.

FIND OUT MORE