Prostate cancer screening only for "a few thousand" high risk men
Summary
The UK’s National Screening Committee recommends prostate cancer screening only for a small group of men who have a specific genetic risk and family history. They advise against screening all men because the harms of unnecessary treatment outweigh the benefits for most, but they will keep reviewing new evidence.Key Facts
- Prostate cancer screening uses a blood test called PSA and sometimes an MRI scan.
- Screening can save some lives but often leads to overdiagnosis and harmful treatments.
- Treatments for prostate cancer can cause incontinence and sexual problems.
- Only men with a BRCA2 gene mutation plus a family history of certain cancers should be screened every two years between ages 45 and 61.
- Black men and those with just a family history of prostate cancer are not currently recommended for screening, despite higher prostate cancer risk.
- Around 12,000 men die from prostate cancer each year in the UK.
- The committee will continue to update guidance as new tests and evidence become available, including trials focused on Black men's risk.
- Prostate cancer often grows slowly and may not need treatment during a man’s lifetime.
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