Prostate cancer now most common cancer in UK as pressure grows for national screening
Prostate cancer now most common cancer in UK as pressure grows for national screening
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More than 50,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in England in 2023 - but a leading charity claims more needs to be done to catch the disease earlier. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, according to new analysis - as a leading charity renewed its calls for a national screening program.
![[Sir Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic champion, has shared his battle with prostate cancer publicly]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/03/15/9d9b723d22a827b8c0477062766c3974Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM2MDA0NjA4-2.77872535.jpg)
NHS data found 55,033 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in England in 2023, compared to 47,526 breast cancer cases the same year. The data showed diagnoses of the disease overtook breast cancer in 2022 and 2023, said Prostate Cancer UK, which added that there has been a 25 per cent increase in cases between 2019 and 2023.
![[Ian Phillipson said other men should speak to their GPs if they were concerned about symptoms.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/27/16/Ian-Phillilpson-2.jpg)
It follows a rise in awareness of the disease with a series of high-profile names sharing their battles with the condition, including Stephen Fry, Nick Owen and Chris Hoy. Chiara De Biase, director of Health Services, Equity and Improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “These new figures show that awareness is now growing across the UK, and we’re proud to have played our part in this alongside our supporters and the NHS.
“More men than ever are learning about their risk, speaking to their GP about the PSA blood test, and then taking the best next steps.”. The data has prompted the charity to renew its calls for a national screening programme. The NHS does not offer routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood testing for prostate cancer, but says people may be offered the test if their doctor thinks they have symptoms of the disease. Anyone aged over 50 can also ask for a PSA test.
