Prostate cancer screening only for 'a few thousand' high risk men
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- National Screening Committee recommends PSA screening only for men who carry a BRCA2 gene variant and have a family history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or prostate cancer.
- National Screening Committee data show that for every 1,000 men in their 50s screened, only two lives are saved over 15 years, while 20 men receive a cancer diagnosis that would never need treatment.
- Prof Sir Mike Richards warns that 12 of those 20 men would undergo unnecessary treatment, often resulting in incontinence and erectile dysfunction.
- National Screening Committee advises against offering PSA testing to all men, Black men, and those with merely a family history of cancer.
- PSA blood test would be offered every two years to eligible men aged 45‑61, covering only a few thousand high‑risk individuals annually, pending health‑minister approval.
Why it matters: Men with BRCA2 mutations gain targeted early detection, while the broader male population avoids costly overtreatment and associated quality‑of‑life losses; NHS resources shift to high‑risk screening, potentially reducing wasteful spending.
