Too many men diagnosed at stage 4.

We know that Prostate cancer is curable if caught early and incurable if caught late, yet the NHS with it's past policy of; not screening, not allowing GP's/nurses to initiate discussions about prostate cancer with patients, and not offering PSA tests made no attempt to catch it early, and seem to have done everything they could to make sure that it was caught too late. 

It was left to celebrities like Stephen Fry, Bill Turnbull, and Sir Chris Hoy to inform the public about prostate cancer and psa testing.

12000 deaths per year is not acceptable when we have had psa tests, and ct and mri scans for many years, and all parties in this conspiracy of silence should be ashamed.

Luckily a friend told me about psa tests after his GP went "off script " and offered him a PSA test even though he had no symptoms. He had cancer, had radiotherapy, then died. I took my friends advice and asked for a PSA test at the age of 65. The result was a psa of well over 4000.

After my diagnosis with advanced prostate cancer, I asked my GP (in 2023), why urination, the prostate, or psa tests had not been mentioned to me by anyone at the practice, including at my health checks. I was told bluntly "it's not policy".

Not wanting to overtreat was never an excuse. PSA tests very accurately measure psa in the blood and a raised level usually indicates something abnormal and further investigation should follow before biopsy or surgery. 

At least men over 50 could get a psa test from their GP if they asked for one or had symptoms, but on 15 August 2026 the headline of the Daily Telegraph said "Men lose right to prostate cancer test". 

The prostate cancer risk management programme (PCRMP) guidance which said "men aged 50 and over who decide to have a PSA test based on this balanced information (from the GP) can do so for free on the NHS", and also that "GP's should not initiate the conversation", has been withdrawn. 

Now, almost all men are not to be screened and men over 50 are no longer entitled to an NHS psa test, they must first convince their GP. Ex Prime Minister Lord Cameron who has had prostate cancer described this as "yet another step backwards". The Daily Telegraph on 18 August 2026 carried comments from Professor Chris Booth a member of the EU's prostate cancer screening programme's scientific advisory board, he wrote "this latest manoeuvre by the department of health and social care (DHSC) will do nothing to improve the service and will undoubtedly cost lives. The surreptitious removal of guidance by the dhsc will further discourage GP's from providing the test".

On 2 June 26 the government announced that they agreed with the National Screening  Committee's final recommendation for very limited screening but that they would invest £18 million into the Transform Trial so that all black men aged 45 to 74 who have not had a recent PSA test will be invited to take part. This is PSA screening for all black men in everything but name. This seems to me a "face saving exercise" to bring in screening without going against the National Screening Committee because we could and should have had it years ago. I feel sure that routine screening of all men 50 or over will soon follow the trial.

Private companies and charities are filling the gap in psa and other testing. On 14 September 2026 an advert appeared on TV for a company called "one day tests" who offered a whole range of blood tests at walk in centres across the country. They offered 2 psa tests, total which shows total psa in blood and ultimate which shows total and free psa in blood. 

The Graham Fulford Charitable Trust (GFCT) started providing psa testing in 2004. They always test for total and free when necessary. In November 2023 the GFCT was awarded the Kings award for voluntary services. This is the highest award that a local voluntary group can receive. Graham was awarded an MBE on 15 June 2024 in the Kings birthday honours for "services to prostate cancer awareness and earlier diagnosis". I wonder how many members of the national screening committee have such an award. 

Don't these two examples of organisations show how the NHS is being bypassed and show a breakdown in relationships and trust between the public and Primary care?

We have all learned a lot about prostate cancer from the media in recent years, but I still feel angry that NHS policy and the attitude of some GP's prevented me and many others from being informed, advised and tested for Prostate cancer until it was too late.

What do others with advanced prostate cancer think about their late diagnosis and the current stance of the National Screening Committee and Health Minister? 

This current attitude makes it very hard on men like you because some will develop seriously advanced cancer before being diagnosed, and some will die younger than they might have done had they been diagnosed much earlier. I was lucky in 2007 to have a GP who when taking blood for something else suggested he add a PSA test. Knowing nothing about PCa at that time, no doubt like most other men, I said rather flippantly, "well your taking my blood already, so do whatever you want with it." That was for me a life preserving suggestion which I came to appreciate in due course as my PSA was 17.6 on diagnosis and my staging T3A. So it had already reached the stage where the surgeon I saw said he didn't really want to operate. (I have had a lot of treatment since but am currently in remission.) A few years on before diagnosis and I could have been in a similar position to you.

The powers that be in the UK reason that a treatment only saves a small number of lives because most men die with PCa than of it, so the more men who have PSA and high numbers, will want MRI and treatment, this will results in more men suffering unnecessary harms. Then there is the fact that there would be insufficient Diagnostic and Treatment equipment and trained staff to cover the huge number of extra cases without extra money and trained personnel. The NHS has has to provide for a more elderly and increasing population, acting as carers in some cases and using more expensive equipment and drugs. The NHS stopped doing cosmetic work long ago and dentistry, other than more basic things and the rates for that work has been creeping up. The way things are going, I can envisage a time when men not only have to pay towards their diagnosis but towards treatment, just like in dentistry or have private insurance. Men, and women for their problems should have this spelled out to them and be made aware just like it is known that if you visit some countries you need to be vaccinated. Modern day NHS just can't do everything as was originally envisaged at inception. Health knowledge could and should be passed on to people along with the thought that they might have to contribute directly if they want the most costly and effective treatment.

Free PSA is not used by the NHS as far as I know, although it is offered by the 3rd-party labs which some hospitals use (such as TDL).

I think the work in associating Free PSA with Prostate cancer was mainly done by Graham Fullford and his researcher at Manchester University (whose name I can't recall, but he's an excellent presenter). They use it to generate a more specific result in the range where PSA isn't very specific, originally when PSA is from 3-10, but last I heard they changed to use it when PSA is from 2-10. They have the lab automatically run the free PSA analysis when the PSA result is within this window.

Thanks Mac/Adrian

I did see the report in the Times this morning.  Good to get some news that is encouraging…especially as I am in the HT/Docetaxel/Rt group!

I did screenshot the article and send it around to my mates, again with a plea to get tested.