Latest news with #AmyRylance
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of men given ‘unnecessary' cancer treatment every year due to ‘wild west' guidelines
A leading cancer charity says "enough is enough" as it calls for Nice to update its advice 'HARMFUL' Thousands of men given 'unnecessary' cancer treatment every year due to 'wild west' guidelines Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) UP to 5,000 men every could avoid unnecessary cancer treatment if "outdated" guidelines reflected latest evidence, a charity has urged. Overtreatment can lead to side effects such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence, it warned. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 For men whose prostate cancer is unlikely to progress, experts suggest close monitoring is the "best" option - but advice on this hasn't been updated since 2021 Credit: Getty Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in males in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases diagnosed every year. However, in some cases, the cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to ever cause the patient harm. For men whose cancer is unlikely to progress, experts suggest close monitoring is the "best" option. However, out-of-date guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) on how this is implemented has created a "wild west". Close monitoring involves blood tests and scans, known as active surveillance. Nice guidance on active surveillance is designed to advise specialists on how to implement monitoring and which men should be monitored. However, it hasn't been updated since 2021, according to Prostate Cancer UK. A Freedom of information (FOI) request analysis by the charity found around one in four (24 per cent) of hospitals rely on Nice guidance alone to implement active surveillance. It also found 35 hospitals have created their own guidelines, which Prostate Cancer UK warned can lead to inconsistency and confusion among medics. The charity is now repeating its call for Nice to update its guidance on active surveillance, claiming it could help up to 5,000 men a year avoid overtreatment. I thought I was drinking too much tea - but it was actually a deadly condition It also claims the outdated guidance is hindering a screening programme for prostate cancer. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "To reduce the harm caused by prostate cancer and build the foundations for a screening programme, we need to both save lives and prevent unnecessary treatment but official guidelines still haven't caught up with the clinical evidence. "Concerns about overtreatment are a major reason the UK does not routinely screen for prostate cancer, despite it being the most common cancer in England. "Acting on latest research that shows more men can safely opt for monitoring instead of treatment will reduce overtreatment and the harm it causes men. "We asked Nice to update their active surveillance guidance two years ago, but our request was rejected. Now we have evidence this is potentially affecting thousands of men. Enough is enough." Current testing for prostate cancer The NHS uses a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for prostate conditions, including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Routine PSA testing is not currently offered on the NHS, but patients may be offered a PSA test if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer, while men over 50 can request a test from their GP even if they do not have symptoms. But there have been calls to roll the test out across the health service, although some argue widespread use could identify cases which may not have caused problems or needed treatment. Vincent Gnanapragasam, a professor of urology at the University of Cambridge, said: "Active surveillance is the best treatment option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress or cause them problems in their lifetime. "But Nice's outdated guidelines have created a deeply concerning wild west on how surveillance is implemented by different healthcare teams. What is prostate cancer? Prostate cancer affects a small, walnut shaped gland that sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra - the tube carrying pee outside the body. It usually grows bigger as you get older. The prostate's main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm. Most men with early prostate cancer don't have any signs or symptoms - that's why it's important to know about your risk. Possible symptoms include: Difficulty starting to urinate or emptying your bladder A weak flow when you urinate A feeling that your bladder hasn't emptied properly Dribbling urine after you finish urinating Needing to urinate more often than usual, especially at night A sudden need to urinate – you may sometimes leak urine before you get to the toilet If you do notice changes in the way you urinate, this is more likely to be a sign of an enlarged prostate, which is very common and non-cancerous. But it's still a good idea to get it checked out. In the UK, about one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Some factors may mean you're more likely to get it. This includes: Getting older – it mainly affects men aged 50 or over Having a family history of prostate cancer Being Black If you have any of these risk factors or if you have any symptoms, speak to your GP. They can talk to you about your risk, and about the tests that are used to diagnose prostate cancer. Source: Prostate Cancer UK "This inconsistency is resulting in a lack of confidence from patients in surveillance, who may instead opt to have treatment they may not have ever needed, risking harmful side effects. "Programmes for active surveillance that are standardised and individualised to a man's risk factors have been tested and proven to work." The UK's National Screening Committee is currently assessing whether a national screening programme for prostate cancer should be rolled out. A Nice spokesperson said: "We are committed to ensuring our guidelines continue to reflect the best available evidence and give patients the best possible outcomes. "They are developed by an independent committee, including NHS clinical experts, and are kept under review to ensure they remain current. "We are updating our prostate cancer guidelines, including a review of the recommendations around active surveillance, and will be assessing whether our suspected cancer guideline recommendations around age-related thresholds for PSA tests for prostate cancer for onwards referral from primary care require updating."
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Health
- Powys County Times
‘Outdated guidance' sees thousands at risk of prostate cancer ‘overtreatment'
Up to 5,000 men every year could avoid unnecessary treatment for prostate cancer if 'outdated' guidelines reflected latest evidence, a charity has said. Overtreatment of the disease can lead to side effects such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Experts suggest closely monitoring certain patients can be the 'best' option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress, although out-of-date guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) on how this is implemented has created a 'wild west'. There are around 55,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year. However, in some cases, the cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to ever cause the patient harm. These men benefit from being closely monitored with blood tests and scans, which is known as active surveillance. Nice guidance on active surveillance is designed to advise specialists on how to implement monitoring and which men should be monitored. However, it has not been updated since 2021, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Freedom of information (FOI) request analysis by the charity found around one in four (24%) of hospitals rely on Nice guidance alone to implement active surveillance. It also found 35 hospitals have created their own guidelines, which Prostate Cancer UK warned can lead to inconsistency and confusion among medics. The charity is now repeating its call for Nice to update its guidance on active surveillance, claiming it could help up to 5,000 men a year avoid overtreatment. It also claims the outdated guidance is hindering a screening programme for prostate cancer. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'To reduce the harm caused by prostate cancer and build the foundations for a screening programme, we need to both save lives and prevent unnecessary treatment but official guidelines still haven't caught up with the clinical evidence. 'Concerns about overtreatment are a major reason the UK does not routinely screen for prostate cancer, despite it being the most common cancer in England. 'Acting on latest research that shows more men can safely opt for monitoring instead of treatment will reduce overtreatment and the harm it causes men. 'We asked Nice to update their active surveillance guidance two years ago, but our request was rejected. Now we have evidence this is potentially affecting thousands of men. Enough is enough.' The NHS uses a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for prostate conditions including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Routine PSA testing is not currently offered on the NHS, but patients may be offered a PSA test if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer, while men over 50 can request a test from their GP even if they do not have symptoms. However, there have been calls to roll the test out across the health service, although some argue widespread use could identify cases which may not have caused problems or needed treatment. Vincent Gnanapragasam, a professor of urology at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Active surveillance is the best treatment option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress or cause them problems in their lifetime. 'But Nice's outdated guidelines have created a deeply concerning wild west on how surveillance is implemented by different healthcare teams. 'This inconsistency is resulting in a lack of confidence from patients in surveillance, who may instead opt to have treatment they may not have ever needed, risking harmful side effects. 'Programmes for active surveillance that are standardised and individualised to a man's risk factors have been tested and proven to work.' The UK's National Screening Committee is currently assessing whether a national screening programme for prostate cancer should be rolled out. A Nice spokesperson said: 'We are committed to ensuring our guidelines continue to reflect the best available evidence and give patients the best possible outcomes. 'They are developed by an independent committee, including NHS clinical experts, and are kept under review to ensure they remain current. 'We are updating our prostate cancer guideline, including a review of the recommendations around active surveillance, and will be assessing whether our suspected cancer guideline recommendations around age-related thresholds for PSA tests for prostate cancer for onwards referral from primary care require updating.'
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
‘Outdated guidance' sees thousands at risk of prostate cancer ‘overtreatment'
Overtreatment of the disease can lead to side effects such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Experts suggest closely monitoring certain patients can be the 'best' option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress, although out-of-date guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) on how this is implemented has created a 'wild west'. There are around 55,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year. However, in some cases, the cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to ever cause the patient harm. These men benefit from being closely monitored with blood tests and scans, which is known as active surveillance. Nice guidance on active surveillance is designed to advise specialists on how to implement monitoring and which men should be monitored. However, it has not been updated since 2021, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Freedom of information (FOI) request analysis by the charity found around one in four (24%) of hospitals rely on Nice guidance alone to implement active surveillance. It also found 35 hospitals have created their own guidelines, which Prostate Cancer UK warned can lead to inconsistency and confusion among medics. The charity is now repeating its call for Nice to update its guidance on active surveillance, claiming it could help up to 5,000 men a year avoid overtreatment. It also claims the outdated guidance is hindering a screening programme for prostate cancer. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'To reduce the harm caused by prostate cancer and build the foundations for a screening programme, we need to both save lives and prevent unnecessary treatment but official guidelines still haven't caught up with the clinical evidence. 'Concerns about overtreatment are a major reason the UK does not routinely screen for prostate cancer, despite it being the most common cancer in England. 'Acting on latest research that shows more men can safely opt for monitoring instead of treatment will reduce overtreatment and the harm it causes men. 'We asked Nice to update their active surveillance guidance two years ago, but our request was rejected. Now we have evidence this is potentially affecting thousands of men. Enough is enough.' The NHS uses a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for prostate conditions including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Routine PSA testing is not currently offered on the NHS, but patients may be offered a PSA test if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer, while men over 50 can request a test from their GP even if they do not have symptoms. However, there have been calls to roll the test out across the health service, although some argue widespread use could identify cases which may not have caused problems or needed treatment. Vincent Gnanapragasam, a professor of urology at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Active surveillance is the best treatment option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress or cause them problems in their lifetime. 'But Nice's outdated guidelines have created a deeply concerning wild west on how surveillance is implemented by different healthcare teams. 'This inconsistency is resulting in a lack of confidence from patients in surveillance, who may instead opt to have treatment they may not have ever needed, risking harmful side effects. 'Programmes for active surveillance that are standardised and individualised to a man's risk factors have been tested and proven to work.' The UK's National Screening Committee is currently assessing whether a national screening programme for prostate cancer should be rolled out. A Nice spokesperson said: 'We are committed to ensuring our guidelines continue to reflect the best available evidence and give patients the best possible outcomes. 'They are developed by an independent committee, including NHS clinical experts, and are kept under review to ensure they remain current. 'We are updating our prostate cancer guideline, including a review of the recommendations around active surveillance, and will be assessing whether our suspected cancer guideline recommendations around age-related thresholds for PSA tests for prostate cancer for onwards referral from primary care require updating.'
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
‘Outdated guidance' sees thousands at risk of prostate cancer ‘overtreatment'
Overtreatment of the disease can lead to side effects such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Experts suggest closely monitoring certain patients can be the 'best' option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress, although out-of-date guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) on how this is implemented has created a 'wild west'. There are around 55,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year. However, in some cases, the cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to ever cause the patient harm. These men benefit from being closely monitored with blood tests and scans, which is known as active surveillance. Nice guidance on active surveillance is designed to advise specialists on how to implement monitoring and which men should be monitored. However, it has not been updated since 2021, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Freedom of information (FOI) request analysis by the charity found around one in four (24%) of hospitals rely on Nice guidance alone to implement active surveillance. It also found 35 hospitals have created their own guidelines, which Prostate Cancer UK warned can lead to inconsistency and confusion among medics. The charity is now repeating its call for Nice to update its guidance on active surveillance, claiming it could help up to 5,000 men a year avoid overtreatment. It also claims the outdated guidance is hindering a screening programme for prostate cancer. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'To reduce the harm caused by prostate cancer and build the foundations for a screening programme, we need to both save lives and prevent unnecessary treatment but official guidelines still haven't caught up with the clinical evidence. 'Concerns about overtreatment are a major reason the UK does not routinely screen for prostate cancer, despite it being the most common cancer in England. 'Acting on latest research that shows more men can safely opt for monitoring instead of treatment will reduce overtreatment and the harm it causes men. 'We asked Nice to update their active surveillance guidance two years ago, but our request was rejected. Now we have evidence this is potentially affecting thousands of men. Enough is enough.' The NHS uses a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for prostate conditions including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Routine PSA testing is not currently offered on the NHS, but patients may be offered a PSA test if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer, while men over 50 can request a test from their GP even if they do not have symptoms. However, there have been calls to roll the test out across the health service, although some argue widespread use could identify cases which may not have caused problems or needed treatment. Vincent Gnanapragasam, a professor of urology at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Active surveillance is the best treatment option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress or cause them problems in their lifetime. 'But Nice's outdated guidelines have created a deeply concerning wild west on how surveillance is implemented by different healthcare teams. 'This inconsistency is resulting in a lack of confidence from patients in surveillance, who may instead opt to have treatment they may not have ever needed, risking harmful side effects. 'Programmes for active surveillance that are standardised and individualised to a man's risk factors have been tested and proven to work.' The UK's National Screening Committee is currently assessing whether a national screening programme for prostate cancer should be rolled out. A Nice spokesperson said: 'We are committed to ensuring our guidelines continue to reflect the best available evidence and give patients the best possible outcomes. 'They are developed by an independent committee, including NHS clinical experts, and are kept under review to ensure they remain current. 'We are updating our prostate cancer guideline, including a review of the recommendations around active surveillance, and will be assessing whether our suspected cancer guideline recommendations around age-related thresholds for PSA tests for prostate cancer for onwards referral from primary care require updating.'
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Health
- Glasgow Times
‘Outdated guidance' sees thousands at risk of prostate cancer ‘overtreatment'
Overtreatment of the disease can lead to side effects such as erectile dysfunction or incontinence, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Experts suggest closely monitoring certain patients can be the 'best' option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress, although out-of-date guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) on how this is implemented has created a 'wild west'. There are around 55,000 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed in the UK every year. However, in some cases, the cancer is slow-growing and unlikely to ever cause the patient harm. These men benefit from being closely monitored with blood tests and scans, which is known as active surveillance. Nice guidance on active surveillance is designed to advise specialists on how to implement monitoring and which men should be monitored. However, it has not been updated since 2021, according to Prostate Cancer UK. Freedom of information (FOI) request analysis by the charity found around one in four (24%) of hospitals rely on Nice guidance alone to implement active surveillance. It also found 35 hospitals have created their own guidelines, which Prostate Cancer UK warned can lead to inconsistency and confusion among medics. The charity is now repeating its call for Nice to update its guidance on active surveillance, claiming it could help up to 5,000 men a year avoid overtreatment. It also claims the outdated guidance is hindering a screening programme for prostate cancer. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: 'To reduce the harm caused by prostate cancer and build the foundations for a screening programme, we need to both save lives and prevent unnecessary treatment but official guidelines still haven't caught up with the clinical evidence. 'Concerns about overtreatment are a major reason the UK does not routinely screen for prostate cancer, despite it being the most common cancer in England. 'Acting on latest research that shows more men can safely opt for monitoring instead of treatment will reduce overtreatment and the harm it causes men. 'We asked Nice to update their active surveillance guidance two years ago, but our request was rejected. Now we have evidence this is potentially affecting thousands of men. Enough is enough.' The NHS uses a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for prostate conditions including prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Routine PSA testing is not currently offered on the NHS, but patients may be offered a PSA test if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer, while men over 50 can request a test from their GP even if they do not have symptoms. However, there have been calls to roll the test out across the health service, although some argue widespread use could identify cases which may not have caused problems or needed treatment. Vincent Gnanapragasam, a professor of urology at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Active surveillance is the best treatment option for men whose cancer is unlikely to progress or cause them problems in their lifetime. 'But Nice's outdated guidelines have created a deeply concerning wild west on how surveillance is implemented by different healthcare teams. 'This inconsistency is resulting in a lack of confidence from patients in surveillance, who may instead opt to have treatment they may not have ever needed, risking harmful side effects. 'Programmes for active surveillance that are standardised and individualised to a man's risk factors have been tested and proven to work.' The UK's National Screening Committee is currently assessing whether a national screening programme for prostate cancer should be rolled out. A Nice spokesperson said: 'We are committed to ensuring our guidelines continue to reflect the best available evidence and give patients the best possible outcomes. 'They are developed by an independent committee, including NHS clinical experts, and are kept under review to ensure they remain current. 'We are updating our prostate cancer guideline, including a review of the recommendations around active surveillance, and will be assessing whether our suspected cancer guideline recommendations around age-related thresholds for PSA tests for prostate cancer for onwards referral from primary care require updating.'
