Prostate cancer care will be transformed with routine at-home blood tests for the first time, under new government plans to tackle health challenges faced by men and boys.
Mental health, heart disease and prostate cancer, which has 55,300 new cases every year, are the biggest killers of men in modern Britain and are all set to be addressed in the plan.
Men can be less likely to seek help and more likely to suffer in silence. This, combined with a higher propensity to smoke, drink, gamble and use drugs, means men’s health is suffering, having a significant impact on families, workplaces and communities.
Under the plans, patients will be offered video calls with consultants, healthcare staff will receive training on problems that affect men, and research to better diagnose, treat and manage these major killers will be better funded.
This includes the development of home prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for those being monitored for the disease. If approved, the tests will be available to order via the NHS app from 2027.
PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. Raised levels may indicate a problem with the prostate, which could be related to cancer in some cases. However, this test is the first step in deciding if more tests for prostate cancer are needed, helping to catch it sooner.
Currently, routine PSA testing is not offered on the NHS, but men may be offered one if a GP suspects they have prostate cancer.
Men over the age of 50 can ask their GP for a PSA test, even if they do not have symptoms, but officials have faced increased calls for a screening programme to be introduced.
Chiara De Biase, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said the earlier prostate cancer is found, the easier it is to treat.
She said: “Vital changes like giving men more control over their health and providing them with personalised support is long overdue, and we’re committed to working with the government and the NHS to turn these words into actions that have a life-changing impact for men.”
“Any men concerned can head to the Prostate Cancer UK’s online ‘Risk Checker’ to find out if they’re at risk of prostate cancer and what they can do about it,” she added.
The government is also teaming up with the Premier League’s Together Against Suicide initiative to help tackle stigma about mental health.
“For too long, men’s health has been overlooked. There has been a reluctance to accept that men suffer specific inequalities and hardships,” health secretary Wes Streeting said.
He stressed that men are dying nearly four years earlier than women, with suicide remaining the leading cause of death for men under 50. The new plan aims to close the longstanding life expectancy gap between men and women.
“We know men are less likely to come forward for healthcare. From partnering with the Premier League to rolling out health support in the workplace – we’re meeting men where they are and giving them the support they need to live longer, healthier lives,” Mr Streeting added.
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