Prostate cancer screening should not be offered to most UK men, committee finds
Prostate cancer screening not recommended on NHS
- The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) has advised against routine population-wide prostate cancer screening using the PSA test, stating it would likely cause more harm than good.
- The committee's draft recommendation suggests screening only men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations every two years between the ages of 45 and 61, due to their significantly higher risk.
- Extensive screening for Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer was not recommended, citing a current lack of sufficient data and evidence for these groups.
- Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed he would consider the findings, aiming for earlier diagnosis and quicker treatment while balancing this against the potential harms of wider screening.
- The UKNSC will collaborate with Prostate Cancer UK's Transform trial, which is investigating combined screening techniques, with results expected within two years to inform future recommendations.