Prostate cancer has become the most common cancer in England, with a massive 25% increase in cases between 2019 and 2023.
NHS data shows the number of prostate cancer diagnoses has been higher than breast cancer for two years in a row following a surge in cases after the pandemic say PROSTATE Cancer UK
They add that more men are also receiving lifesaving radical treatments, while the number of men with slow-growing disease – who may be receiving these treatments unnecessarily – has remained low.
In 2022, a total of 50,751 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in England – that’s compared to 48,531 breast cancer cases. And in 2023 there was a similar trend, with 55,033 men getting a prostate cancer diagnosis compared to 47,526 for breast cancer.
During the pandemic years, prostate cancer was impacted more than any other cancer. Because people were less likely to visit their GP, more than 14,000 men who should have been diagnosed and referred for treatment were missing from the health system.
According to the NPCA’s ‘State of the Nation’ report, the number of men receiving radical prostatectomy increased by 17% from 2022 to 2023, while the number getting radical prostate radiotherapy is also up by 23%.
In cases where prostate cancer is slow-growing, some men are better off being monitored rather than treated. And for these men, the report shows the number who are receiving radical treatments – known as ‘overtreatment’ – has remained low and stable at 8%.
Despite the huge increase in prostate cancer cases, there’s still no national screening programme. And NHS guidelines currently prevent GPs from proactively talking to men at highest risk about the option of a free PSA blood test. As the disease often has no symptoms in its earlier stages, this situation means too many men find out they have cancer only after it’s spread and become harder to treat.
This is leaving men in the dark about their prostate cancer risk and causing massive health inequities. It’s about time things changed.
“These new figures show that awareness is now growing across the UK and we’re proud to have played our part in this alongside our supporters and the NHS,” said Chiara De Biase, Director of Health Services, Equity and Improvement. “More men than ever are learning about their risk, speaking to their GP about the PSA blood test and then taking the best next steps.
“At the moment, there’s no screening programme for prostate cancer and not every man has a fair shot at getting diagnosed earlier. We face a dreadful north-south divide in the UK, where you’re more likely to get an incurable diagnosis in certain areas than others. Plus, men living in more deprived areas are less likely to get the treatments they need.
“Despite all this, GPs aren’t currently allowed to raise the issue of prostate cancer and testing, even with the men who have the highest risk of getting it – something we’re asking the government to change right now.
“The good news is that the way prostate cancer is diagnosed is safer and more accurate than ever, and the first step is a simple blood test – not a ‘finger up the bum’. If you’re worried about prostate cancer, the easiest thing you can do right now is take our quick online Risk Checker.”
