Research funding announcement follows prostate cancer screening ruling
Last week the UK National Screening Committee recommended limiting prostate cancer screening to a small group of high-risk men with BRCA2 mutations and a family history of cancer.
Advisers said that wider screening risks overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment, despite growing political and public pressure for broader access.
'Deeply disappointed' with screening decision
PIF members responded with disappointment to the news.
Prostate Cancer Research said it was ‘deeply disappointed’. In a post on its website, the charity said that by excluding the majority of men at elevated risk, including Black men and those with a family history, "it falls short of what is needed to enable earlier diagnosis and reduce mortality”.
Prostate Cancer Research convened a coalition of 18 leading organisations spanning the clinical, research and charity sectors, “establishing a strong, unified position on the need for a risk-based screening approach”.
Read the full statement from Prostate Cancer Research here.
Sign Prostate Cancer Research’s petition, which now has more than 70,000 signatures.
The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) said in a statement that clear communication would be critical. “The introduction of a targeted screening programme mustn't inadvertently widen existing inequalities or discourage healthcare engagement among men who fall outside the eligibility criteria but who may still be at elevated risk of prostate cancer.
“Clear communication will be critical to ensure that men understand both the rationale for the recommendation and the ongoing uncertainties that remain.”
Read the full BAUS statement here.
Government backs TRANSFORM trial
On Tuesday, the Government announced that men at the highest risk of prostate cancer will benefit from research to find the best screening strategy and more treatment choices under a major new £20 million package.
A landmark prostate cancer screening trial jointly funded by PIF member Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) will be expanded. This means that for the first time, all eligible Black men will be invited to take part.
The TRANSFORM study is testing the best ways to detect prostate cancer earlier and save more lives, while avoiding unnecessary treatment and the associated harms.
Laura Kerby, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “After so much disappointment, this announcement is a truly historic moment. Black men are twice as likely to get the disease, and twice as likely to die from it.
“That’s why we’re delighted that the Government has more than doubled its support for TRANSFORM and is backing our Black Health Equity Strategy, allowing us to generate the vital evidence needed to ensure those at highest risk are diagnosed earlier, when treatment is most effective.”
Read all about the funding boost for TRANSFORM on the Prostate Cancer UK website here.
'Screening must be evidence-led'
Director of policy at Cancer Research UK, Dr Ian Walker, added: “The government’s decision to accept the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme is in line with the currently available evidence. We appreciate this will be disappointing for some, but screening must be evidence-led, and we welcome the Committee’s assurance to assess any new evidence quickly.
“Cancer Research UK-funded treatments like abiraterone have made a huge difference for men with prostate cancer, and we continue to invest in research for new tests and treatments.
“Meanwhile, we will be working with the government and wider cancer community to improve guidance for GPs to enable them to support men worried about their risk of prostate cancer.”
Read more about the announcement on the Government website here.