The Sunday Times published a powerful article on 12th October. Please read our summary: 

A new National Prostate Cancer Audit has revealed a worrying inequality in prostate cancer diagnosis across England. Men living in the most affluent areas are twice as likely to be diagnosed as those in the poorest - and Black men, who face double the average risk, are also being diagnosed far less often than expected. 

Experts warn this growing gap is costing lives. With 56,000 new cases and 12,000 deaths each year, prostate cancer is now the UK’s most common male cancer - yet many men from lower-income or minority backgrounds are still missing early detection opportunities. 

Doctors say the issue lies in awareness and access. Educated or wealthier men are proactively seeking PSA blood tests privately or through their GPs, while those in deprived areas are less likely to know the risks or request testing. At GFCT, we want to change that. We offer low cost PSA testing events all over the UK. Find an event near you - https://tgfct.org.uk/Events/Our-Events 

Early detection remains critical: when prostate cancer is caught early, survival rates are almost 100%, but if found late, half of men die within five years. 

The findings have reignited calls for a national or targeted prostate screening programme, similar to breast cancer screening for women. Campaigners including Prostate Cancer Research and Prostate Cancer UK state that screening should start with high-risk groups, such as Black men, those with a family history of prostate, breast, or ovarian cancer, and men with BRCA2 or similar genetic mutations. 

Charities like us believe the UK has reached a tipping point where inaction is costing too many lives. As Chiara De Biase of Prostate Cancer UK said: 

“Prostate cancer is the last major cancer without a screening programme. We’ve reached the point where targeted screening for at-risk men is both possible and essential.” 

Adding momentum to this national conversation, our founder Graham Fulford MBE has been invited to a parliamentary reception at the House of Commons on October 14th, hosted by Prostate Cancer Research. This cross-party event will bring together parliamentarians, campaigners, and members of the prostate cancer community to launch a landmark report. The report aims to demonstrate how a targeted national prostate screening programme for high-risk groups can be made a reality, strengthening the case for urgent change as the UK National Screening Committee finalises its current review before they meet next month to decide the next steps - a decision that could shape the future of prostate cancer care in the UK. 

Read the full article in The Sunday Times: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/prostate-cancer-annual-screening-7vlzk3l30 

Learn more about PSA testing and early detection: https://tgfct.org.uk