It's about time we had a prostate cancer screening programme
We won't stop until we have a screening programme for all men.
When it comes to prostate cancer, early diagnosis is crucial. Because when you find it early, it's much easier to treat. That's why a screening programme is so important. It's a way of checking men early - to find cancer before symptoms show up.
The National Screening Committee has recommended screening only for men with a specific genetic mutation. This is a step in the right direction - but it's only a fraction of the men we need to save.
As the UK’s biggest public funder of prostate cancer research, we’ve driven forward major improvements in diagnosis that have made testing safer and more accurate than ever before. And we won't stop until we have a screening programme for all men.
That's why we need your help to fund research like our TRANSFORM trial, to find the safest and most accurate way to test for prostate cancer and paving the way to a much bigger screening programme that saves thousands of lives. Please donate today.
Three steps to start saving men’s lives today
We can’t stand still and let thousands of men miss their chance for an early diagnosis.
Every man needs to know his risk right now, so he can make a choice about whether to have a simple PSA blood test to check for early warning signs of prostate cancer.
That’s why we want the Government to act now on early detection – so we can start saving men’s lives today.
While we continue to fund the vital research that will pave the way to a screening programme, the Government must act now on early detection. Here are three things we’re asking from the Government:
- Overhaul outdated NHS guidelines
- Fund a nationwide public awareness campaign
- Replace confusing health information with our simple online Risk Checker.
We’ve driven the major research breakthroughs and campaigned for the important changes that have led us to this critical point on prostate cancer screening. And thanks to groundbreaking improvements like MRI scanning and better biopsy techniques, diagnosing prostate cancer is safer and more accurate today than ever before.
Prostate cancer screening: your questions answered
We’ve answered some of the big questions around prostate cancer screening, including:
Why is there no screening programme for prostate cancer?
In the past, methods for diagnosing prostate cancer were unreliable and often led to men having unnecessary tests and treatments that could be harmful or cause serious side effects. That’s why there’s never been a routine screening programme before.
It’s a balance that hasn’t tipped in favour of screening today, despite huge strides forward in testing. But with further research and evidence, we can change this.
How soon could there be a prostate cancer screening programme?
The crucial remaining evidence will come in the next few years – thanks to TRANSFORM, our groundbreaking research trial, which will lead the way to a screening programme.
The next opportunity to submit evidence to the UK National Screening Committee will be [date].
Why is early detection of prostate cancer so important?
When it comes to prostate cancer, getting an early diagnosis is crucial. Because when you find it early, it’s much easier to treat. Right now, it’s up to men to know their own risk and ask their GP for a PSA blood test to check for early warning signs.
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Find out more
The road to screening; here’s how we save lives today
It’s the only major cancer without a screening programme. But we can’t stand still and let thousands of men miss out on an earlier diagnosis.
How TRANSFORM will lead the way to a screening programme for all men
Thanks to TRANSFORM, our groundbreaking research trial, we’ll be getting the crucial remaining evidence over the next few years, to lead the way to a screening programme.
‘Black men can’t wait any longer’: thousands sign letter calling for change to NHS guidelines
Why don’t we screen all men for prostate cancer?
If caught early, prostate cancer can often be cured. So why don’t we just screen all men for prostate cancer? We’ve analysed the decision from the UK National Screening Committee – here’s our response to the evidence.
