Actor's Disappointment Over Screening Guidelines
Sir Tony Robinson, the renowned actor and presenter, has voiced his profound disappointment with new draft recommendations on prostate cancer screening in the UK. The 79-year-old, who received his own prostate cancer diagnosis in 2023, told the Press Association he had expected men at the highest risk to be offered routine testing.
The UK National Screening Committee recently stated that while men with a known genetic risk should be screened every two years, testing all men was not advised due to concerns about the 'harms' of overdiagnosis. This position has sparked significant criticism from public figures and health campaigners.
Campaigners Demand Targeted Screening Programme
Sir Tony specifically highlighted the groups he believes are being let down by the current approach. "I certainly thought that those most at risk would – black men, those with inherited risk, elderly people who have double the risk of getting prostate cancer as others," he stated. He described the evidence for screening these groups as conclusive, reasonable, and cost-effective.
The Blackadder star drew a parallel with the successful lobbying for breast cancer screening, noting that women's vigorous campaigning led to change. He expressed hope that this 'knock back' would galvanise men to campaign more forcefully, stating, "Boy, this is not only unfair, it’s actually potentially threatening my life."
High-Profile Support for Screening Expansion
Sir Tony is not alone in his criticism. Former Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who revealed last year that his prostate cancer had spread to his bones and was given between two and four years to live, shared the actor's disappointment. The 49-year-old said that while introducing checks for men with BRCA genes was a "very small step forward it is not enough."
England's World Cup-winning footballer Sir Geoff Hurst went further, arguing that testing should be mandatory for all men over 45. He told PA: "I have known many people to suffer with prostate cancer, and given correct testing and early enough testing, they could’ve been furnished with a much better outcome."
The debate has also drawn in political figures. Former Conservative prime minister Lord David Cameron, who recently revealed his own prostate cancer treatment, urged the government to be "brave and bold" and implement a proper, targeted screening programme for all those at higher risk.
Despite the setback, Sir Tony remains committed to campaigning and highlighted the Transform trial, launched by Prostate Cancer UK, which will investigate whether combining PSA tests with other methods like MRI scans could lead to a future recommendation for population-wide screening. He also sought to reassure men put off by the prospect of a rectal examination, emphasising that "they just don’t have to have that anymore."
