Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, but early disease may cause no symptoms. That makes awareness important — while also making it essential not to confuse awareness with routine population screening.
There is currently no national prostate cancer screening programme in the UK. The PSA blood test can help assess prostate conditions, but it is not a perfect cancer test: PSA can be raised for reasons other than cancer, and some prostate cancers do not produce a markedly raised result.
Men and anyone with a prostate can discuss PSA testing with a GP. NHS guidance says the benefits and limitations should be considered before testing. People aged 50 or over can ask their GP about a PSA test, while testing may also be recommended when symptoms or particular risk factors are present.
Possible symptoms include urinary changes, blood in urine or semen, and problems with erections, although these symptoms can have many non-cancer causes. New or persistent symptoms should be assessed rather than self-diagnosed.
Prostate cancer treatment varies according to tumour risk, stage, general health and patient preference. Some cancers are monitored rather than treated immediately, while others may require surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy or other approaches. Awareness is therefore about informed assessment and timely care — not encouraging every man to undergo repeated screening without discussion.
