Pandemic sees 50,000 fewer men urgently referred for suspected prostate cancer

Official figures have shown that the number of men urgently referred for suspected prostate cancer dropped by over a quarter during the pandemic, and experts have warned the ‘lost’ referrals could lead to thousands of delayed diagnoses and avoidable deaths.

Data from NHS England shows the number of patients urgently referred for the cancer fell by 28 per cent between April 2020 and January of this year, a reduction of around 52,000.

Professor Michael Kirby, editor of Trends in Urology and Men’s Health and former GP, has said “The significant drop in referrals over the past year means thousands of men are likely to be living without a diagnosis of prostate cancer, and could be missing out on potentially life-saving treatment.”

Prostate Cancer UK is calling on the public to share its 30-second risk checker to help men understand their risk. Those with a family history of the disease, men over 50 and slightly younger black men are at particular risk.

The charity’s chief executive Angela Culhane, said “Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, but until these missing men are found and referrals begin to rise, many more men could be diagnosed when it is too late for them to be cured.

“Detecting cancer earlier helps save lives, but sadly prostate cancer doesn’t have a screening programme, and most men with early prostate cancer don’t have any symptoms.

“That’s why we want men to be informed about their risk which is higher if you are over 50, black or if your father or brother had the disease.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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