health
March 15, 2026
'I’ve been living under a shadow for 13 years': life with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. But screening is not universal, and charities are divided over whether it should be extended. What do those living with the disease think?
TL;DR
- Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, with almost 65,000 diagnoses in 2022.
- Many men are diagnosed through private screening or awareness campaigns, but there is no universal national screening program.
- There is a debate among charities and health advisors about the benefits versus harms of wider PSA screening, with concerns about overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
- Economic inequalities mean men in more deprived areas are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer.
- Men diagnosed share personal stories of the physical and emotional toll of treatment, including surgery, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy.
- Specific at-risk groups, such as Black men, are being targeted for earlier conversations about prostate cancer.
- Charities like Prostate Cancer UK are pushing for expanded screening, particularly for at-risk groups, while others highlight the imperfections of the PSA test.
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