The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has decided against recommending a population-wide screening programme for prostate cancer, a move that has drawn significant criticism from public figures and health campaigners.
Celebrity Disappointment and Personal Stories
Prominent figures including Sir Tony Robinson and broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan have expressed their profound disappointment at the decision. Sir Tony, 79, famous for his role as Baldrick in Blackadder, stated he was 'bitterly disappointed' by the ruling. He emphasised that early diagnosis saves lives, lamenting that nearly 10,000 men a year are diagnosed too late for a cure.
Mr Murnaghan, 67, who revealed his own stage four prostate cancer diagnosis this year, described the news as devastating. He had hoped for an 'exciting moment' of progress for men's health, given that prostate cancer cases are higher than ever.
They were joined by actor Colin McFarlane and former footballer Les Ferdinand, who both highlighted the disproportionate impact on black men. McFarlane stated people 'deserve so much better than this', while Ferdinand pointed out that black men are at double the risk of prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from it.
The Committee's Rationale and New Research
In its draft recommendation, the UK NSC advised against mass screening using the PSA test due to concerns about the 'harms' of overdiagnosis. The committee did, however, recommend that men with a known genetic risk should be screened for prostate cancer every two years.
This decision comes despite the launch of the Transform trial by Prostate Cancer UK last week. This major research initiative will investigate whether combining the PSA test with other diagnostics, such as rapid MRI scans, could provide the evidence needed to justify a future national screening programme. Sir Tony Robinson expressed his strong support for this trial, which is expected to deliver results within two years.
Political and Public Backing for Change
The screening debate has garnered high-level political attention. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a Prostate Cancer Research ambassador, called the committee's recommendation a 'deeply disappointing' missed opportunity to make a generational difference to male health.
Sir Stephen Fry, another ambassador for the charity who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018, also voiced his deep disappointment. He stressed that prostate cancer remains the second biggest cancer killer of men in the UK, with more than 12,000 deaths annually.
The public discourse has been further amplified by the recent revelation from former Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron that he had been treated for the disease.
Campaigners are now urging the Government to update NHS guidelines, particularly to allow GPs to proactively contact black men about their risk from the age of 45, given their significantly higher susceptibility to the disease.
