Tackle Prostate Cancer is deeply disappointed by the UK National Screening Committee’s final recommendation on prostate cancer screening.

While we welcome any step towards risk-based screening, the decision to limit targeted screening to a very narrow group of men with a BRCA2 gene variant and relevant family history leaves many men at increased risk without a clear route to earlier diagnosis.

Every week, our prostate cancer support group network hears from people whose lives have been changed by a diagnosis that came too late for curative treatment. We recognise that prostate cancer screening must be safe, evidence-based and carefully implemented, but we also believe the current position does not go far enough for those at higher risk, including Black men and those with a strong family history of prostate cancer.

We are particularly concerned that important questions remain about the modelling used to inform this decision. The independent review commissioned by Prostate Cancer Research and undertaken by the York Health Economics Consortium raised serious concerns about whether the model fully reflects modern MRI-led diagnostic pathways, current NHS practice, the reality of existing opportunistic PSA testing, and the impact of health inequalities.

This must not be the end of the conversation. We need continued research, better data, and an urgent commitment to developing a fair, targeted and risk-based approach to prostate cancer screening.

In the meantime, Tackle’s network of over 160 prostate cancer support groups across the UK is here for anyone living with or affected by prostate cancer, whether you have been newly diagnosed, are facing treatment decisions, are living with advanced disease, or are supporting a partner, family member, or friend.

No one should have to face prostate cancer alone.

Find your local support here.