Expert panel advises against prostate cancer screening for most men in UK

UK Panel Warns Against Mass Prostate Cancer Screening

A UK government health panel has decided against recommending widespread prostate cancer screening for most men, sparking "deep disappointment" from several charities and campaigners. The National Screening Committee (NSC) instead advises that only men with a confirmed BRCA1 or BRCA2 faulty gene variant – who are at an increased risk of developing aggressive cancers – should be screened every two years between the ages of 45 and 61.

While some experts welcomed the NSC's evidence-based approach, others expressed concern over the decision to exclude black men, who have a higher risk of late-stage diagnosis. According to the committee, current data on screening black men is "lacking and uncertain," raising fears that targeted screening could lead to high rates of overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

The UK has seen an estimated 55,300 new prostate cancer diagnoses each year, with around 12,200 deaths annually. Despite its prevalence as the second most common male cancer in the country, there is no national screening program due to concerns over the unreliability of PSA tests.

The decision highlights ongoing debates about the benefits and risks of mass screenings, particularly regarding potential harms from overtreatment and overdiagnosis. The NSC estimates that widespread screening could lead to a small reduction in deaths but would result in "a very large number" of men being incorrectly diagnosed with cancer.

Charities like Cancer Research UK have expressed support for the committee's conclusion, stating that current evidence does not show significant benefits from screening for all men or those with family histories of cancer. However, others, including public figures Stephen Fry and Rishi Sunak, are vocal in their opposition to the decision, warning that it will let down vulnerable men who could benefit from early detection.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has vowed to examine the evidence thoroughly before making a final recommendation in March. While he acknowledged the potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment, he also emphasized his commitment to improving cancer diagnosis and treatment times within the NHS.

i totally disagree with this decision . mass screening would've been way better than nothing. we'd've at least tried to prevent some deaths or diagnoses. now, people are gonna just keep on dying from prostate cancer... it's too little, too late for those who need early detection . btw, who cares about black men getting 'lacking and uncertain' data? that's just a cop-out . we should've done more to help them out, not let them fall through the cracks .

omg u gotta read dis! so theres this uk panel thats been lookin at prostate cancer screening and dey decided NOT 2 do mass screenings 4 most men lol what a relief right? but here's da thing - its not just about 4 any ol dude, dey said only men wit dat BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variant should get screened every 2 yrs betwens 45-61. i mean, makes sense rite? dont wanna be stuck wit nothin if u got cancer

but then theres dis thing bout black men & how dey got a higher risk of late-stage diagnosis... its like, whats good? why didnt dey include dem in da screening cuz its NOT FAIR!!! so now every1s all up in arms 'bout dis... some people say its better to err on da side of caution, but i guess its a trade-off, right? dont wanna overdiagnose or overtreat, but u still wanna catch dat cancer ASAP

I'm really worried about this decision . I mean, prostate cancer is still one of the top killers among men in the UK, and a test that can detect it early on would be life-saving for so many people . But at the same time, I get why they don't want to do mass screening - all those false positives could lead to unnecessary treatments and costs . It's just one of these tricky decisions where you've got to weigh up the pros and cons. And what really gets my goat is that black men are being left out of the picture . We need to get a better understanding of how prostate cancer affects them differently, and then we can make some real progress .

But hey, at least there's someone looking into it - Wes Streeting is definitely on the right track . And I'm glad that charities like Cancer Research UK are supporting the committee's conclusion, even if others aren't . It's all about getting the best possible evidence and making informed decisions .

I just wish we could find a way to screen everyone who's at risk without causing more harm than good . That would be a real win in my book !

I'm really worried about this decision . I mean, think about it - prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men in the UK, but we're not even doing mass screenings because the PSA tests are unreliable? That doesn't sit right with me. And now they're saying only black men who have a faulty gene should be screened every two years? It's just not fair, you know? I get that there's evidence suggesting it could lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment, but what about all the guys who are gonna die from prostate cancer because we didn't catch it early enough? We need to find a better way to screen for this stuff.

I think it's super reasonable that the UK panel wouldn't just go ahead with mass prostate cancer screening - we've seen how some other screenings have led to way too many unnecessary tests and treatments. The thing is, who gets to decide what constitutes a 'beneficial' screening? It's not like they can just look at one or two cases and say 'oh this is it'. And yeah, the lack of data on black men being screened is super concerning - we need to make sure that everyone has access to good healthcare. I mean, cancer affects people from all walks of life and we should be trying to find ways to prevent it, not just treat it after it's happened.

I dont think its a good idea 2 exclude black men frm prostate cancer screening . I mean, we all know dat black men are more likely 2 get diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Its just not fair 2 leave dem outta da picture. And what's w/ da lack of data on screening black men? Dat doesnt make sense 2 me. We need 2 make sure everyone gets screened, esp if dey got a high risk 1 cancer. Da NHS should def be lookin into dat more. I hope Health Secretary Wes Streeting looks inta dis evidence more closely. We cant afford 2 miss out on any life-savin opportunities here

omg, can u believe this ! they're basically saying that some black men might get more cancer just bc they got a different gene lol. it's like, what even is genetics here? anyway, i think its cool that charities are supporting their conclusion cuz, let's be real, overdiagnosis is a thing and we dont wanna see guys getting treated for something thats not even there but at the same time, if they do screen black men then it could lead to more problems cuz of the data being "lacking" . its like, what do we even know about this stuff?

come on guys can't we just agree that mass screening isn't perfect? i mean, 55k new diagnoses a year is crazy, but what's the alternative? just not testing it out doesn't make sense those black men are getting screwed in the system already and we should be trying to fix that rather than making more people worry about cancer. also, rishi sunak saying he'd let down vulnerable guys with cancer? who is this guy? seems like he's just trying to stir up drama gotta love a good controversy though

I mean, can you imagine being on your deathbed, thinking "man, I wish I had a PSA test done back in 2018"? ‍ Just kidding, prostate cancer is no joke! Seriously though, this UK panel's decision to hold off on mass screening makes sense given the risks of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. But what really gets my goat is that black men are being left out of the party . I mean, who needs a party when you can have an early death?

this is kinda weird considering prostate cancer affects so many men... but i get where they're coming from with the lack of data on screening black men . it's not like they're saying all black men should be screened, just those at a higher risk. but still can't help but feel that some people are gonna say "see, we told you so" when someone gets caught up in unnecessary treatment because they missed the window... what do u guys think?

Ugh, can't believe this ... so now they're trying to pick and choose who gets screened? Like, what's next? Only people with expensive insurance plans get treated? It's all about the money, you know?

And black men are being left out in the cold? That's just not right. I mean, we already know they're at a higher risk of late-stage diagnosis, so it doesn't make sense to exclude them from screening altogether.

I'm all for doing what's best for public health, but this decision just feels like a cop-out. Where's the logic in excluding half the population? And what about all the people who are going to end up with unnecessary treatments and surgeries because of this?

And can we talk about how outdated this whole PSA test system is? It's been proven time and again that it's not accurate, yet they're still using it as a basis for screening. Get with the times, UK!

I dont think its all bad tho... UK panel's decision might be a step back but lets consider we got experts sayin that mass screening could lead to more harm than good for most guys . Black men already at higher risk from late-stage diagnosis, so usin targeted screenin might help 'em out more, even if its not perfect . And let's not forget PSA tests ain't always reliable either . Still, I get why some folks are upset... its a tricky balance between savin lives and avoidin unnecessary treatments . Ill be keepin an eye on what Health Secretary Wes Streeting finds out before they make a final decision in March

I gotta say, I'm all for using data-driven decisions when it comes to healthcare, but this decision feels like a missed opportunity to save lives . I mean, we know that black men are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer, so targeting those screenings specifically could've been a game-changer . Instead, we're stuck in limbo, wondering if the risks outweigh the benefits . It's like, we can't even agree on what to do about it, and that's frustrating . I'm all for making sure we're not overdiagnosing or overtreating, but at the same time, let's not forget about those who are already struggling with this disease . We need more nuanced thinking on this one

I'm kinda surprised by this decision ... I mean, on one hand, it's good that they're being cautious about mass screenings, 'cause we don't wanna overdo it with treatments that might not be needed . But at the same time, it's a bit concerning that black men are being left out of the screening process - that just seems unfair .

I guess what I'm trying to say is that there's gotta be some way to balance the risks and benefits here ... like maybe they could do targeted screenings for specific groups, instead of going for a one-size-fits-all approach?

I don't get it ... why can't they just screen all men? I mean, prostate cancer is super common and you're gonna die from it anyway if you don't do something. Just think of how many lives could be saved! Plus, what's with this "BRCA1 or BRCA2" thing? Who even knows what that means? It sounds like some fancy medical mumbo-jumbo. And yeah, I know the NHS is all about improving diagnosis and treatment times, but come on, you can't just sit on your hands when it comes to saving lives! The government's always talking about being evidence-based, but sometimes you gotta trust your instincts, right?

omg this is so concerning the fact that black men are being excluded from widespread screening because the data is "lacking" is not only frustrating but also unacceptable they're already at a higher risk of late-stage diagnosis, how can we not try to catch it earlier? and I'm all for evidence-based approaches and avoiding overdiagnosis but come on if this is gonna let down men who are actually gonna benefit from early detection then what's the point?

The lack of clarity is kinda messed up ... they're saying it's safe but then there's that uncertainty about black men getting screened which feels like a huge gap . I mean, if you're high risk, why not get checked? It's always better to be safe than sorry . This whole thing just feels like it's all about numbers and stats without actually thinking about the human impact .

this is so frustrating... black men are gonna get left behind because there's not enough data on them?! it's like, we know they're more likely to be diagnosed late stage, but we don't have the evidence to back up a targeted screening program . and now Stephen Fry is going on about how this decision will "let down" vulnerable men... like, dude, you should really do some research before speaking out . anyway, i guess it's good that Cancer Research UK is supporting the committee's conclusion... but can we please just get some decent cancer screening data for all demographics?!

I gotta say, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole thing... I mean, I get why they didn't wanna do mass screening for all men - the stats on PSA tests being unreliable are pretty wild - but excluding black men from the program is just not right . I know some experts say the data's lacking, but can't we be trying to find ways to make that data better instead of ditching an entire group of people? It's like, we're already struggling with cancer diagnosis times in the NHS... do we really wanna make it even harder for black men to get screened? I'm all for evidence-based approaches and whatnot, but let's not forget that there's a real person behind every number .