Prostate Cancer Screening Could Save Countless Lives, Says Sunak

A targeted prostate crab screening programme for men astatine nan highest consequence could "save countless lives", erstwhile premier curate Rishi Sunak has told nan BBC.

Prostate Cancer Research, of which Sunak is simply a patron, has published a study connected nan costs and benefits of specified an initiative. It would attraction connected achromatic men and/or those pinch a family history of prostate crab who are aged 45–69.

Sunak said he is "convinced of nan urgency " of introducing specified a programme, which he believes would beryllium affordable and deliverable.

But immoderate aesculapian experts are sceptical astir nan worth of screening, arguing location is simply a consequence patients will beryllium treated for nan crab unnecessarily.

Prostate Cancer Research estimates nan screening programme, which would impact an MRI scan, a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) humor trial and a biopsy, would costs £25m a twelvemonth - aliases astir £18 per diligent - akin to bowel and bosom crab screening.

It assumes 20% of eligible men - of which location are an estimated 1.3 cardinal successful nan UK - would beryllium invited annually, pinch a 72% uptake rate. Diagnostic activity (scans and biopsies) would request to emergence by 23%, pinch only a humble summation successful NHS staffing, nan kindness says.

The prostate is simply a walnut-shaped gland astatine nan guidelines of nan bladder that people grows pinch age, but tin sometimes go cancerous erstwhile cells turn successful an uncontrolled way. Prostate crab tin beryllium symptomless successful nan early stages.

Asked whether he mightiness person done much while successful Downing Street to push nan lawsuit for prostate crab screening, Sunak said testing had now go much reliable done nan usage of MRI scans.

"I've had family and friends that person been impacted by it - thankfully not mislaid their lives – but that partially has made maine alert of why it's truthful important we drawback it early - nan doctors are truthful superb now astatine treating you if you drawback it early."

Sunak said men, including himself, were often awkward of coming guardant to talk wellness issues: "That's why a proactive targeted screening programme could make a quality successful helping prevention lives."

More than 58,000 men were diagnosed pinch prostate crab successful England unsocial successful 2024, a 9% summation connected 2023, nan latest figures from the National Prostate Cancer Audit show.

Meanwhile, 1 successful 4 achromatic men will beryllium diagnosed pinch prostate cancer, compared to 1 successful 8 achromatic men and 1 successful 13 men of different ethnicities, according to Prostate Cancer Research. Men are besides much than doubly much apt to create nan crab if they person a family history of it.

The UK National Screening Committee is presently reconsidering its determination from 5 years agone not to urge regular screening. Media reports propose it whitethorn instrumentality pinch its existent stance.

Urologist Prof Noel Clarke, representing nan British Association of Urological Surgeons, told nan nationalist audit that while it was encouraging much men were being diagnosed and treated earlier, "we must besides tackle nan inequalities revealed by nan audit truthful that property aliases postcode ne'er find nan value of attraction men receive".

Oscar-winning movie head Sir Steve McQueen, whose father's ain decease from nan illness led him to activity much accusation astir it, agrees.

"I find it very, very difficult to deliberation that conscionable because group person a definite benignant of privilege they tin beryllium treated. It's unfair," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

He added that greater prostate crab screening could thief "equalise" nan situation.

Sir Steve was himself diagnosed pinch prostate crab successful 2022 but made a afloat recovery.

"I had nan imaginable to find this cancer, my begetter did not. Now we person nan imaginable to cure truthful galore men of this, erstwhile they don't moreover cognize they person cancer," he said.

Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy, who has precocious prostate cancer, is advocating for earlier checks.

He wants nan property period for requesting a PSA humor trial lowered. Currently, it is not routinely offered to men without symptoms who are nether 50.

The PSA trial is controversial, though. Levels tin emergence for reasons different than cancer, specified arsenic infections, starring to mendacious positives. Critics opportunity this tin consequence successful unnecessary curen and broadside effects.

According to nan study authors, nan benefits of introducing targeted screening for those astatine nan highest consequence outweigh nan financial and logistical costs.

Professor Hashim Ahmed, Chair of Urology astatine Imperial College, says much investigation is needed to find nan imaginable worth of screening.

"The problem is we tin often find illness that doesn't request to beryllium treated and we extremity up causing harm...and my interest astatine nan infinitesimal is that harm to use equation isn't rather right."

Potential broadside effects of prostate crab curen are incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Patient voices are helping to style nan debate. On a caller sojourn to a prostate crab session astatine Guy's Hospital successful London, Sunak met 66-year-old David Bateman.

He was diagnosed pinch nan crab astatine nan property of 59 aft asking for a SPA test, and was told it had dispersed to his pelvis.

Mr Bateman has since been fixed chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone curen but cannot beryllium cured. He supports screening for those who are perchance vulnerable.

"That is very important to maine because of my sons – they are 38 and 40 – I want them checked arsenic soon arsenic possible. If I had been screened astatine 50, I americium judge I wouldn't beryllium successful nan position I americium today," he said.