Men facing ‘1 in 8’ risk of cancer with no UK screening programme

Men over the age of 50 are being urged to take action as they face a higher risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer. This type of cancer impacts up to one in eight men but there is no national screening programme and it often doesn’t have any symptoms in the early stages. To mark Movember, Dr Sameer Sanghvi is raising awareness of the simple blood test, known as a PSA test, that men over 50 can have for free through their GP to check if they’re at risk of a diagnosis. He said: “Men are often squeamish about prostate testing because they think it involves a digital rectal exam (or physical anal exam in other words). But this is not the case - blood tests and MRI are some of the less invasive methods of checking for prostate cancer. “Plus, while I understand why rectal examinations can make patients feel embarrassed, I’d like to remind men that they shouldn’t be painful and are over very quickly.” For men in higher risk groups, such as having a family history of prostate cancer or being from a Black ethnic group, may be able to access a PSA test for free from the age of 45. The GP at LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor added: “In the UK, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. 395,000 men are currently living with this type of cancer in the UK and one in eight men will be diagnosed with it in their lifetime. For black men that number’s higher - one in four. “Although prostate cancer is very prevalent, survival rates are some of the highest. The ten-year survival rate is about 80% - around 30% higher than many of the most commonly diagnosed cancers. “Usually, symptoms will only appear when the prostate is large enough to affect the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the tip of the penis. This is why it’s so vital to get tested if you have any concerns.” Once the cancer reaches this stage, it can change the way you pee, such as needing to pee urgently or often, ‘stop start’ peeing or straining to pee. Some other symptoms of prostate cancer include erectile dysfunction, blood in the urine or semen, lower back pain and losing weight without trying. These can be symptoms of advanced prostate cancer according to the NHS . The health service also notes: “These symptoms do not always mean you have prostate cancer. You can also get some of these symptoms if you have an enlarged prostate. This is a non-cancerous condition caused by the prostate getting larger as you get older.”