UK decision on prostate screening must be “starting point, not end”
A prostate cancer charity that helps people in Suffolk says they're disappointed with this decision
The UKNSC has ruled that a national prostate-cancer screening programme for all men will not go ahead, but instead recommends a limited programme for men carrying certain genetic risks.
Retired urologist, men’s health campaigner and clinical director of the prostate cancer charity CHAPS, which help, which focuses on prostate cancer screening, in Suffolk and across the country, said the decision must now be the “starting point” for improved detection and care.
What the UKNSC decided
UKNSC concluded that population-wide screening using the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is likely to cause more harm than good, mainly due to overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
The draft recommendation proposes a targeted screening offer every two years for men aged 45 to 61 who carry confirmed BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, a group at elevated risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Men outside that group, including those with family history or from high-risk ethnic backgrounds, are not included under the new plan, at least initially.
"A chance- but not enough"
Booth welcomed the focus on genetically high-risk men but said more must be done. He argued that the tools to implement broader screening exist, and that targeted early detection could save lives.
He said: “We know how to implement screening… we should be encouraged to do it.”
He added: “A targeted screening programme for men at higher risk, such as black men and those with a family history, already exists.”
Booth went on to stress that early diagnosis remains vital: “With 13,000 men dying every year, the disease is long, slow, frequently painful and a rotten way to go. We can’t afford to wait another ten years to see the full benefits of screening.”
He urged policymakers not to treat today’s decision as a final stop: “This should be part and parcel of general men’s health, prostate early treatment and early diagnosis, and that sort of strategy should be set up nationally as quickly as possible.”
What now
The UKNSC’s recommendation is now subject to a consultation period. While the new targeted screening proposal is a first step, Chris Booth and others say it should be the launch pad for a broader, more inclusive approach, particularly for those at elevated risk.
Charities and research bodies have welcomed the recommendation for BRCA-carriers, while also warning that many high-risk men may still miss out.
As Booth said, the tools are in place, now the question is whether policy will catch up.