Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme, saying it could “save countless lives.”
Sunak, a patron of Prostate Cancer Research, spoke to the BBC after the charity published a report on the costs and benefits of such a programme. It would focus on men aged 45–69 who are at higher risk, including Black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer.
Sunak said he is “convinced of the urgency” of introducing the programme, which he believes would be both affordable and achievable.
Some medical experts, however, remain sceptical about screening. They warn it could lead to unnecessary treatment for cancers that might never have caused harm.
Prostate Cancer Research estimates the programme would cost £25 million a year—around £18 per patient—comparable to bowel and breast cancer screening. It would involve a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) blood test, an MRI scan, and, where needed, a biopsy. The charity assumes 20% of the 1.3 million eligible men in the UK would be invited annually, with a 72% uptake. This would require a 23% increase in diagnostic activity, but only a modest rise in NHS staffing.
The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland at the base of the bladder. It naturally grows with age but can become cancerous when cells grow uncontrollably. Early-stage prostate cancer often has no symptoms.
Asked if he might have done more while in Downing Street to promote prostate cancer testing, Sunak said advances in MRI scans have made testing more reliable.
“I’ve had family and friends impacted by it—thankfully not lost their lives—but it made me aware of why catching it early is so important,” he said. “Doctors are brilliant at treating it if it is caught early.”
Sunak added that men, including himself, are often reluctant to discuss health issues. “That’s why a proactive, targeted screening programme could make a real difference in saving lives,” he said.
Prostate cancer diagnoses are rising. In England alone, more than 58,000 men were diagnosed in 2024, up 9% from 2023, according to the National Prostate Cancer Audit.
The risk varies by ethnicity and family history. One in four Black men will be diagnosed, compared with one in eight white men and one in 13 men of other ethnicities. Men with a family history are more than twice as likely to develop the disease.
The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing its 2019 decision not to recommend routine screening. Media reports suggest the committee may maintain its current stance.
Urologist Prof Noel Clarke, representing the British Association of Urological Surgeons, said the audit shows progress but highlights inequalities. “Age or postcode should never determine the quality of care men receive,” he said.
Oscar-winning director Sir Steve McQueen, whose father died from prostate cancer, supports the campaign for more awareness and earlier detection.
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