Thousands of men in the UK are being diagnosed with prostate cancer late because of a ‘postcode lottery’ of treatment, a charity has warned.
Prostate Cancer UK said the percentage of patients diagnosed with the disease when it is too advanced to receive treatment varies significantly depending on where they live.
In Scotland, more than a third of men go undiagnosed until the disease is classified as stage 4, which means the cancer has metastasized and spread to another part of the body.
Meanwhile, the figure for London is much lower at just 12.5 percent.
Prostate Cancer UK said the percentage of patients diagnosed with the disease when it is too advanced to receive treatment varies significantly depending on where they live. Rates are highest in Scotland, the North East, Yorkshire and Northern Ireland
‘Fit and active’ 55-year-old surgeon diagnoses advanced prostate cancer after ‘gnawing injuries’
Gareth Jones, a 55-year-old surgeon from Glasgow, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in June 2021.
Mr Jones is urging other men to be aware of their health and not miss an early diagnosis.
“I’m a surgeon and before the diagnosis I was really fit and healthy, but I kept getting these debilitating injuries like back pain that really started to get to me,” he said.
“I didn’t realize it was a sign that my cancer had already spread to my legs. Getting diagnosed was very, very difficult, but luckily I started treatment the same day, so there were no delays.
“I’m determined to live life to the fullest and I’m now back in the gym doing what I can to raise awareness.
“I just don’t want this to happen to other men, and it can be prevented if more men know about prostate cancer and what they can do about it.”
“So I would like to tell everyone to share the Prostate Cancer UK Risk Checker as we need to spread the word and stop so many men in Scotland missing out on an early diagnosis.”
Mr Jones also uses his love of extreme fitness challenges to raise money and has raised more than £4,000 for Prostate Cancer UK.
Gareth Jones (pictured above), a 55-year-old surgeon from Glasgow, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in June 2021
The charity analyzed various data sets to find out how many patients were diagnosed with metastatic cancer, which in most cases had progressed too far to be cured.
After Scotland, the most men diagnosed at this stage were in north-east England and Yorkshire, around 20 per cent, closely followed by Northern Ireland and Wales.
Almost 18 per cent of Midlands men are diagnosed late, 17.1 per cent in the North West and 16.8 per cent in the South West.
After London, the East and South East had the lowest proportion of men diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer.
The data suggests that men from disadvantaged areas are most at risk of being diagnosed with the disease at a later stage, the charity added.
While the figures are largely based on information collected before the pandemic, the charity suggested that outcomes for men were unlikely to have improved in the aftermath, when health services in England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland were under heavy pressure.
Almost 10,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer each year.
Laura Kerby, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This postcode lottery for cancer diagnosis is simply not fair and the picture in Scotland is particularly shocking.
“Every man should have an equal chance of a cure, which is only possible if his cancer is detected early.
“Unfortunately, early stage prostate cancer usually has no symptoms, so men should be aware of their risk and use our online risk checker to find out more.
“If you are at higher risk – meaning all men over 50 – you are entitled to a free PSA blood test from your GP.
“Because of their higher risk, we advise black men and men with a family history of prostate cancer to talk to their primary care physician for ages 45 and older.”
The charity also expressed concern that fewer patients are being diagnosed during the pandemic.
“At one point during the pandemic, prostate cancer accounted for a third of all missing cancer cases, so it’s fantastic to see that we’re starting to find and treat these men,” Ms Kerby added.
“However, there is still a long way to go to fully reverse the effects of the pandemic, and as these numbers show, even then our work is not done.
“This is why we need a prostate cancer screening program and we are committed to funding the research to make it a reality and save thousands of lives.”
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
