"The advisory committee has previously rejected screening, because of concerns that the unreliability of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) tests means that too many men are undergoing needless procedures that can cause harm. But in recent years the technology used to make a diagnosis has much improved, while treatment has become more targeted."
"Under the current system, men can ask GPs for tests, but many doctors refuse them to those under 50 and surgeries are told not to proactively offer them. Charities have warned that this situation fuels inequalities, with middle class men far more likely to seek checks and far higher death rates being prevalent among those in deprived areas. Black men are twice as likely to get prostate cancer and to die of the disease."
"I want to, as it were, come out. I want to add my name to the long list of people calling for a targeted screening programme."
David Cameron, 59, has added his name to calls for a targeted prostate cancer screening programme to detect cases earlier when treatment is more likely to succeed. Cameron previously supported prostate cancer awareness while in No 10 and his administration established the Cancer Drugs Fund. David Lammy said Labour is committed to fighting prostate cancer and emphasized momentum for checking those at greatest risk. The advisory committee previously rejected screening over PSA test unreliability, but diagnostic technology and targeted treatments have improved. Current practice limits proactive testing, creating inequalities with higher death rates in deprived areas and among Black men.
Read at Irish Independent
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]