Men at highest risk of prostate cancer will benefit from research to find the best screening strategy and more treatment choices under a major new £20 million package. A landmark prostate cancer screening trial will be expanded so that for the first time, all eligible Black men will be invited to take part.
The TRANSFORM study - jointly funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) - is testing the best ways to detect prostate cancer earlier and save more lives, while avoiding unnecessary treatment and the associated harms. The move recognises that Black men face a higher risk of prostate cancer and aims to build the evidence needed to find the best screening strategy and tackle long-standing inequalities.
To ensure the expansion reaches Black men from all communities, supported by the funding from NIHR, the TRANSFORM investigators are working with Prostate Cancer UK to boost community engagement around the country and encourage Black men to take part in the trial.
The Secretary of State will also host a roundtable alongside the Deputy Prime Minister with representatives of local community organisations - supported by Prostate Cancer UK and NIHR - this week to hear directly from community organisations about their work supporting Black men to be part of this research.
The government is also broadening access to focal therapies. These are less invasive treatments that target prostate cancer, giving men greater choice about their options when they receive a new diagnosis.
Alongside this, the government has accepted a recommendation from the independent UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) to introduce England’s first targeted prostate cancer screening programme.
Men who carry the BRCA2 gene variant and have a family history of prostate, breast, pancreatic or ovarian cancer will be offered a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test every 2 years between the ages of 45 and 61. The final recommendation follows a public consultation that received nearly 1,000 responses, with the programme expected to be rolling out in 2027.
Health and Social Care Secretary, James Murray, said: "This is a major step forward in how we tackle prostate cancer - focusing on those most at risk, improving the treatments available, and backing the research we need to close the evidence gaps and save lives. We’re following the science to make sure men get earlier answers and better care, and to avoid doing unnecessary harm. By investing in research through trials such as TRANSFORM, we’re building a fairer, more effective prostate cancer screening system for the future."
Deputy Prime Minister, David Lammy, said: "Tackling prostate cancer is personal for me. I’ve got 2 brothers living with the disease, and I’ve seen first-hand the toll it takes on individuals and their loved ones. Helping more Black men take part in this research is about saving lives, closing deadly inequalities and making sure we understand what works best for those most at risk."
Laura Kerby, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, added: "After so much disappointment, this announcement is a truly historic moment. Black men are twice as likely to get the disease and twice as likely to die from it. That’s why we’re delighted that the government has more than doubled its support for TRANSFORM and is backing our Black Health Equity Strategy, allowing us to generate the vital evidence needed to ensure those at highest risk are diagnosed earlier, when treatment is most effective. This is only possible because of the commitment and leadership of Black communities across the country, bringing us a step closer to a world where no man dies from prostate cancer."
The independent UK NSC recommendation recognises that a national screening programme for all men could lead to large numbers being diagnosed and treated for cancers that would never have caused harm. This targeted approach focuses testing where the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. The government is also working with the UK Cancer Genetics Group (UKCGG) and Cancer Research UK to develop guidance for GPs. This will help them support men who have a suspected family history of prostate cancer but are not eligible for screening and who ask about having a PSA test.
Guidance for GPs and the public will be updated in line with the new recommendation to make advice clearer and easier to follow, including ensuring that those men who are already offered annual tests under existing clinical guidance will continue to receive them. From 2027 men diagnosed with prostate cancer that is being actively monitored or treated will be able to order a PSA test at home or book an in-person blood test locally through the NHS App.
More widely, the government is making strong progress on cancer, with around 95,000 more patients receiving a diagnosis or the all-clear for suspected cancer on time as compared to last year. The recently published National Cancer Plan for England will ensure patients get a faster diagnosis, quicker treatment and the support to live well.
As results come in from trials like TRANSFORM and the evidence base develops, UK NSC will keep recommendations under review to ensure screening policy continues to reflect the best available science.
