Ely prostate cancer survivor claims wider tests would do more good than harm
Currently not all men in the UK can be tested for the disease
A prostate cancer survivor from Ely says making tests available to more men can help keep track of the disease.
Peter Crussell - whose father died from complications with prostate cancer - was 64 went to a screening in July 2024 with no symptoms.
His GP dismissed any concerns after judging Paul's PSA test was normal for his age.
But after his uncles were also diagnosed with prostate cancer, Paul undertook further scans and a biopsy at Addenbrooke's Hospital which found he had the disease.
"It was a biopsy that then confirmed I had cancer, so it was a shock," Paul said.
"Don't be afraid to get it done, and also don't be afraid when you hear those words 'you've got cancer' because if you pick it up early, it's treatable."
Screening finds more than a tenth of men need further help
Figures from the CHAPS men's health charity found at a screening event it held at Ely Masonic Lodge in July - supported by Cambridgeshire Freemasons - more than 11% of the men tested were advised to seek further medical help.
Between 2022 and 2025, 12,907 men were tested at screenings led by CHAPS with 179 people found to have prostate cancer and 140 receiving medical treatment.
Paul went through hormone treatment and radiotherapy and is now cancer-free, and believes talking to others who are going through the same diagnosis can be reassuring.
"I've had a number of friends who have also been diagnosed that have come to me and asked what it was like," he said.
"I was able to sit down with them and hopefully reassure that actually, it's not as bad as you first think."
Calls for wider testing
Currently not all men in the UK can get tested for prostate cancer.
The UK National Screening Committee - an independent body of experts which makes recommendations to government on screening programmes - say this is because the current PSA test is not reliable enough to be used on men of all ages.
Instead, targeted prostate cancer screening on people who are deemed to be at higher risk of cancer takes place.
Paul feels a national screening programme would do more good than harm.
"I think the PSA test is a thumb in the air; yes there are false positives but from what I gather, there are rarely false negatives so a false positive can be quickly weeded out by further tests," he added.
"I truly wish they had a national programme in place; that would save so many lives and it would surely save the NHS millions of pounds a year because prevention is better than cure."