Thousands of men who have had prostate cancer are being urged to join a major research project that could lead to better tests, treatments, and screening for the disease. The initiative, called Prostate Progress, is run by the charity Prostate Cancer Research in partnership with the NHS through the NHS DigiTrials programme.
Volunteers are asked to complete regular online questionnaires and allow researchers to securely link their responses to NHS records. The data could help improve diagnosis, personalise treatment, and speed up the development of new therapies.
Who can take part?
The appeal is aimed at anyone who has ever had prostate cancer. The NHS said: "If you have ever had, or are currently living with prostate cancer, you can sign up to be part of research that will help improve tests, screenings and care."
The push comes as awareness of prostate cancer has risen sharply, partly due to the campaigning of Olympic cycling legend Sir Chris Hoy, who revealed last year that he has the disease. The 11-time world champion has repeatedly called for earlier diagnosis and better screening, helping raise the issue on the public health agenda.
High-profile advocates
Broadcaster, actor, and writer Sir Stephen Fry, who had surgery for aggressive prostate cancer in 2018, is directly involved with Prostate Progress and fronts the recruitment drive. Launching the initiative last year, he said: "If you've had prostate cancer, joining Prostate Progress is one of the most important things you can do. It takes very little effort, but the information you provide could help save lives for generations to come."
He added that he was "delighted" to support the project because combining patients' experiences with NHS health records could give researchers an unprecedented understanding of the disease and help improve care for future generations.
Under-represented groups
The study hopes to recruit men from all backgrounds, particularly those whose experiences are often under-represented in research. Around one in eight white men and one in four Black men in the UK will develop prostate cancer during their lifetime.
Participants will be asked to complete an online survey every few months. With their permission, researchers will securely link those responses to de-identified NHS records, allowing scientists to study everything from diagnosis and treatment to long-term outcomes and side effects. Only approved researchers working on projects that benefit public health can access the anonymised data.
Potential impact
Researchers hope the information will help identify which treatments work best, speed up diagnosis, improve NHS services, and make it easier to match suitable patients to clinical trials.
The appeal also comes amid growing pressure for improvements to prostate cancer screening. Although men aged 50 and over can request a PSA blood test from their GP, there is still no routine national screening programme because the current test is not considered accurate enough for population-wide use. Campaigners, including Sir Chris Hoy, have called for faster progress towards more effective early detection.
