Lincolnshire man with incurable prostate cancer wants an end to inequality in screening
Currently men over 50 can ask their GP for a test but Prostate Cancer Research believes this could be leaving many unscreened and undiagnosed
Last updated 28th Aug 2024
A man from Lincoln diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, says he'd like to see a national screening programme to combat the disparity in early detection and diagnosis.
It comes as Prostate Cancer Research is handing a petition with over 135,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street today, saying targeted screening 'should be a priority for the Government and NHS' .
John Gidman was diagnosed at 54 - when the disease had reached an in-curable stage:
I was absolutely gutted
"Basically it came back saying I had prostate cancer, the unfortunate thing for me was, because it hadn't been caught early, I got stage 4 prostate cancer, so it spread to my bones, it's incurable.
"My wife was with me when I was told.
I was absolutely gutted.
Walking back to the car I was in floods of tears.
I've moved on from that now, my wife and I go on walks, we go on little holidays and I'm enjoying life as much as possible.
"I wasn't invited for a check to see if I had it, it was purely by chance that my mate said 'no I don't have to go to the loo at all in the night' and it was like, oh right okay, I better go then.
If I'd have left it longer, I mean, I might not have been here now."
A 'postcode lottery' means many men face delayed diagnosis
The absence of a national screening programme is said to have created a significant disparity in early detection, leading to a 'postcode lottery' where many men face delayed diagnosis and diminished treatment options depending on where they live.
For example, in London, one in eight men with prostate cancer are diagnosed with metastatic disease (Stage 3 or 4). In Scotland, however, more than one in three men face a Stage 4 diagnosis—a staggering disparity.
The charity Prostate Cancer Research has launched a new national campaign, Proactive For Your Prostate, to address these inequities in prostate cancer diagnosis across the UK.
The campaign advocates for the implementation of a national screening programme, leveraging the latest advancements in prostate cancer diagnosis to ensure early detection and better outcomes for all men, regardless of their location.
By raising awareness and pushing for policy changes, the campaign aims to eliminate the postcode lottery and provide equal access to life-saving screenings.
A targeted national screening programme for those at higher risk of prostate cancer should be introduced as soon as possible
Instead of a universal screening programme like those in place for breast and colon cancer, the UK currently offers an ‘informed choice’ programme.
This approach requires men aged 50 and over to proactively ask their GP for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, placing the burden on individual awareness and initiative, with no guarantee that at-risk men will receive the test, potentially leaving many unscreened and undiagnosed.1
The charity believes that as a minimum, a targeted national screening programme for those at higher risk of prostate cancer should be introduced as soon as possible and should be a priority for the Government and NHS.
Prostate Cancer Research CEO, Oliver Kemp believes that early detection is the most powerful weapon against prostate cancer, but the UK is failing to implement effective screening.
Oliver is available for interviews alongside GP Mike Kirby and case studies who can talk about the impact the current testing has for men across the UK and the urgent action needed.