The National Health Service (NHS) England and Prostate Cancer UK have teamed up to launch a campaign that can help find more than 14,000 men in the country who have not been screened or who need treatment for prostate cancer, according to Inside Croydon.
The NHS released the latest statistics showing that urological cancer referrals in London have dropped by 14% since the beginning of the COVID pandemic.
The campaign, which runs across TV, radio, print, and social media, will encourage men to use Prostate Cancer UK’s 30-second online risk checker. It will also help them to learn more about their level of risk and what action they can take if they are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
In men, prostate cancer is treatable if it is caught early in the initial stages, which is why experts are urging men to check their risk “without delay,” so it can be detected before it is too late.
Previous research has found that 50% of people would delay their GP visits during the pandemic because they did not want to burden the healthcare services.
In England, over 58,000 men have begun treatment for prostate cancer since April 2020. Experts believe that there could be more because the disease goes undiagnosed until screened.
The NHS and Prostate Cancer UK are urging men to reap the benefits of this campaign, which remains open for anybody concerned about cancer.
Men should not wait for symptoms. Instead, they should speak to their GP if they experience symptoms such as difficulty urinating or frequent urination.
Nicola Tallett, Interim CEO of Prostate Cancer UK, said, “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, but the pandemic has meant thousands of men have not come forward for diagnosis and could be missing out on life-saving treatment.”
“Although thousands of men are still being treated each month, if things don’t change soon, the number of men missing out will continue to grow,” she added.
Tallett noted, “Men have been telling us they haven’t wanted to ‘bother’ their GP during the pandemic – particularly if they don’t have any symptoms, which is the case for most men with early prostate cancer. This means men at higher risk of the disease are not having those vital conversations about their risk that can lead to a diagnosis.”
“That’s why we’re working with NHS England to raise awareness and encourage men to take our risk checker to find out more about their risk and what they can do about it,” she added.
Prof. Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said, “I urge you to use the Prostate Cancer UK risk checker today – it is a quick and easy way to understand your risk of prostate cancer and how you can take further action if you are at risk. The simple check could be lifesaving.”
