Last week marked an important moment in the future of prostate cancer screening in the UK - though for many, one marked as much by disappointment as by progress.
The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) finalised its recommendation that targeted prostate screening be introduced for men aged 45-61 who carry a BRCA2 gene change and also have a relevant family history of cancer. For those men, a PSA test would be offered every two years.
Graham Fulford, founder of the GFCT, describes it plainly: the NSC has taken a backward step. The final decision not only resists a risk-based approach to screening - it excludes Black men, men with a family history of the disease, and even men with the BRCA1 gene. The Telegraph has described this as an effective "rationing" of testing. A survey of urologists in Britain found the majority want targeted testing for men at high risk. We wholly support that message.
The scale of public and political support behind the push for broader screening makes this outcome all the more frustrating. Over the past two years, more than 300,000 people signed petitions, over 250 MPs signalled support for reform, and 18 leading organisations united behind a shared call for change. An independent review of the UK NSC's modelling, carried out by the York Health Economics Consortium, also identified serious flaws in the model underpinning this decision, including a failure to account for modern MRI-led diagnostic pathways.
Dr Ian Walker of Cancer Research UK explains that "the PSA test currently used isn't effective enough to support wider screening", and that evidence right now only supports screening men with BRCA2 gene changes and a relevant family history. The challenge is a difficult one: some cancers grow slowly and may never cause harm, and over-diagnosis can lead to unnecessary treatment with life changing side effects. This balancing of benefit and harm has shaped the decision. But for many, it has not been struck in the right place.
There is one notable development: for the first time, the UK NSC has committed to keeping their model "alive", meaning it can be updated as new evidence emerges and the decision revisited without waiting another five years. The door is not closed for a generation.
We at GFCT believe it is better to be tested. All men over the age of 50, or those with a family history of prostate cancer, should have that opportunity. Until a broader screening programme exists, we will continue to offer PSA testing through organised events and home testing kits. Behind each statistic is a man, his loved ones, and a future that could be changed by an earlier diagnosis. This fight is not over.
Help by signing the official Parliamentary petition - 100,000 signatures triggers a debate in Parliament: sign here
Read more: cancerresearchuk.org
Find a testing event: mypsatests.org.uk/Events/
Order a home testing kit: mypsatests.org.uk/orders/