Black men are at a disproportionate risk of dying from prostate cancer due to outdated NHS guidelines, a charity has warned.
Prostate Cancer UK says ministers have a “moral imperative” to change the rules so GPs can proactively talk to at-risk groups about screening for the disease.
New data from the National Prostate Cancer Audit found that black men are more likely than any other ethnic group to be diagnosed at stages 3 and 4, when the cancer has already spread.
According to experts, this is severely hampering their chances of survival and is a key factor why they are twice as likely to die from the disease.
Analysts looked at how many men were diagnosed with stages 3 and 4 prostate cancer in the general population of England.
They found that for every 100,000 black men, 440 are diagnosed at this late stage compared to 295 of their white counterparts.
The research found that those diagnosed at a later stage, around age 60, are also 14 per cent less likely to receive NICE-approved treatment on the NHS compared to white men.
Professor Frank Chinegwundoh MBE, consultant urologist at Bart’s Health NHS Trust, said: “The disparity we can see in this data is shocking and deeply disappointing.
Black men are at disproportionate risk of dying from prostate cancer due to outdated NHS guidelines, charity has warned (file image)
Prostate Cancer UK says ministers have a “moral imperative” to change the rules so GPs can proactively talk to at-risk groups about screening for the disease (file image)
‘This is a consequence of current NHS guidelines; These guidelines treat all men equally, regardless of the fact that some individuals (in this case, black men) have a higher than average risk of prostate cancer.’
Experts believe there is now sufficient evidence that men at highest risk should be proactively offered a PSA test, with benefits outweighing any risks.
Under current rules, it is up to men to know their risk of disease and decide whether they want to request a blood test.
Sir Chris Hoy’s terminal diagnosis at age 48 has also renewed calls to roll out screening nationwide for those most at risk, without waiting for results from the TRANSFORM trial on how this should be done.
Prostate Cancer UK wants the government to update NHS guidelines so GPs can start proactively discussing prostate cancer with black men aged 45 and over, explaining their increased risk and explaining the pros and cons. cons of PSA blood test.
Keith Morgan, Associate Director of Black Health Equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “The evidence reveals the depth of inequality that exists when it comes to diagnosing prostate cancer and supports what black men have been saying. saying for years about the challenges they face. .
“Now that we have the data, there is a moral imperative to urgently address this health equity scandal.”
He added: “We can’t change the fact that black men have the highest risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, but we can change the fact that they die twice as often from a cancer that is treatable if caught early.” .
“That is why we are doubling down on our urgent call for the government to review these outdated NHS guidelines and allow GPs to start conversations about the option of carrying out PSA testing with men at higher risk of prostate cancer.”