A UK expert health panel has recommended against introducing nationwide prostate cancer screening, saying the harms would outweigh the benefits. The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) concluded that widespread PSA testing would lead to high levels of overdiagnosis, detecting many slow-growing cancers that would never cause harm but could result in unnecessary treatment and serious side-effects.
Instead, the committee advised a targeted screening programme only for men with confirmed BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants, who are at higher risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer. These men could be screened every two years between ages 45 and 61.
Despite prostate cancer being the most common male cancer in the UK, the committee found insufficient evidence to support screening for Black men or those with a family history of cancer, citing uncertain data and risks of overtreatment.
The decision sparked disappointment among several charities and public figures, including Stephen Fry, Rishi Sunak, and former prime minister David Cameron, who fear it may lead to more late diagnoses. Cancer Research UK and the Royal College of GPs, however, supported the evidence-based approach, noting the unreliability of the PSA test.
The draft recommendation is open for consultation, with a final decision expected in March.
