A UK government health panel has advised against introducing prostate cancer screening for most men, saying the harms would outweigh the benefits. The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) instead recommended targeted screening only for men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, who face a higher risk of aggressive cancer. These men could be screened every two years between ages 45 and 61.
The committee found that screening all men—or groups such as Black men or those with a family history—would lead to high levels of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment, while only slightly reducing deaths. PSA tests often detect slow-growing cancers that would never cause harm but can result in lifelong side-effects from treatment.
Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in the UK, with 55,300 diagnoses and 12,200 deaths annually. Black men have a one-in-four lifetime risk, but the committee found evidence insufficient to support targeted screening for them.
Some charities, including Cancer Research UK, supported the evidence-based decision. Others, such as Prostate Cancer UK and Prostate Cancer Research, along with public figures like Stephen Fry, Rishi Sunak, and David Cameron, expressed “deep disappointment,” warning that high-risk men could face late diagnoses.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he would review the draft recommendation before the final decision in March.
