Providing prostate cancer testing only to men with confirmed genetic markers for prostate cancer further increases the risk for black men, men diagnosed with prostate cancer said.
Guy Griffiths, 76, from Coventry, was diagnosed in 2024 after asking his GP for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.
He said black men were vulnerable and overlooked and must be required to be tested regardless of existing recommendations from the UK National Testing Board.
The committee says only men with certain genetic mutations that cause more aggressive tumors should be eligible for testing, but this could exclude black men who are twice at risk or men who have a family history of the disease.
The committee said that while a review was underway, testing all men was not justified as the PSA test was not accurate enough.
Cancer Research UK said it supported the panel’s expert advice.
Prostate cancer is the most common disease affecting men overall, with 56,000 men diagnosed each year.
The UK Prostate Cancer Charity suggests that one in eight men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime; Black men will be reduced to 1 in 4.
Keith Morgan, associate director of black health equity at Prostate Cancer UK, said there was no evidence to suggest racism was involved.
He said: “What I’m saying is that it’s inconsistent. So very aggressive men like Guy are better able to catch their prostate cancer early, which means they’re more likely to receive treatment that has the potential to cure it.”
“But that leaves you relying on someone like Guy, who is probably more knowledgeable and has a better understanding of his risks. What happens to men who don’t have that understanding?
“That’s why we’re investing heavily in risk awareness campaigns to help men, particularly those at highest risk of prostate cancer, understand their risk levels and talk to their GP.”
Mr Morgan said guidelines for GPs needed to change when talking to asymptomatic men.
The UK National Screening Committee recommends targeting prostate cancer testing to avoid false positives, which can lead to unnecessary treatment. [Getty Images]
Mr Griffiths’ PSA results led to him undergoing an MRI scan and biopsy in December, which revealed he had the most aggressive form of the disease.
He is undergoing investigational treatment and will undergo five radiation treatments in two weeks. He added that his latest PSA reading was 0, indicating he has a good chance of beating the disease.
Dr. Griffiths said he requested the test during his medical examination at the time of surgery because he was aware of the risks and because the test was not routinely offered.
This resulted in high test results in 2023. However, he said he should have subsequently undergone further tests but they were not and he lodged a complaint against the surgery.
“A compromised view of black people”
He said this is not just about his own journey, but because he believes the NHS treats black men and women differently than other groups.
“Me and my type of black people are vulnerable and ignored,” he said.
“I don’t think I’m jumping on the bandwagon just because I’m black. I honestly think there’s a compromised view of black people in the health service.”
Mr Griffiths said that because of the risks prostate cancer poses to their health, black men must insist on being tested regardless of the panel’s existing recommendations.
“We will expand access to life-sustaining treatments, reduce waiting times and put black men, who are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer, at the center of our research efforts,” Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting said in a statement.
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