Prostate cancer screening: what you need to know

"Getty Images The UK's National Screening Committee has recommended that only a very small group of men at high risk of prostate cancer should be screened for the disease. There is currently no screening programme for prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men. But there has been some energetic campaigning for change by high-profile figures, including Sir Chris Hoy, who has terminal prostate cancer, and Lord David Cameron, who recently revealed he'd been treated for it."

"Experts say there is no justification for screening the large majority of men for prostate cancer. They looked at all the available evidence and concluded that screening was only suitable for: men with a genetic risk of prostate cancer (with a confirmed BRCA gene variant) The advice says this group should be screened every two years between the ages of 45 and 61."

"The UK National Screening Committee said a mass screening programme for prostate cancer was likely to cause more harm than good. The tests for the disease are unreliable, and can lead to men being treated for a slow-growing cancer that isn't going to cause them any harm. The treatment itself can cause incontinence and impotence, which can significantly affect quality of life. Balanced against that, finding cancers early and treating them can save lives"

The UK National Screening Committee recommends screening only for men with a confirmed BRCA gene variant, advising tests every two years between ages 45 and 61. There is currently no routine national prostate screening programme. Evidence review found no justification for screening the large majority of men; mass screening could cause more harm than benefit because tests are unreliable and overdiagnosis can lead to unnecessary treatment. Treatments can cause incontinence and impotence and harm quality of life. Other high-risk groups, including black men and men with a family history, are not recommended for routine screening. The advice will be consulted for three months before final recommendations in March.

Read at www.bbc.com