7 days ago
Prostate cancer screening will save lives and money
The Telegraph's prostate cancer campaign has got off to a flying start. But some are sceptical about a targeted screening programme to ensure that this 'invisible killer' is detected as early as possible.
Today we report that new research has shown that the benefits of targeted screening for the disease outweigh the potential risks by seven to one. Offering PSA blood tests to men aged 45 to 70 with a family history of prostate cancer gave these patients seven 'healthy years' for every one lost. Black men, at higher risk of developing this cancer, benefited from being offered the tests every five years.
According to Prostate Cancer Research, separate modelling shows that a targeted screening programme of all men at higher risk, together with better diagnostics, would save 40 per cent of the annual toll of 12,000 deaths. So the Telegraph campaign could save 4,800 lives every year.
What about the cost? In the 45-70 age range, some 650,000 men have a close relative who has suffered from prostate cancer, while 370,000 are black. Hence a programme aimed at these groups would offer tests to more than a million men. This is a much smaller number than the 6.5 million women who are currently eligible for breast cancer screening. While women require mammograms every three years, men would be tested only every five years.
So a targeted prostate cancer screening programme should be much cheaper than the current NHS Breast Cancer Screening Programme, which costs just under £100 million annually. Indeed, such programmes save money by reducing the need for hospital care. For the 55,000 men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year, screening cannot come soon enough.
