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  5. UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) published recommendations around prostate cancer screening

UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) published recommendations around prostate cancer screening

UK NSC recommends in favour of screening men with a known gene variant of BRCA1 and BRCA2

28 November 2025 (Last updated: 16 Dec 2025 10:08)

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has today published their recommendations around a proposed national screening programme for those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.

Today has seen them recommend in favour of screening men with a known gene variant of BRCA1 and BRCA2 for prostate cancer. We at BAUS, alongside a number of national and regional charities, community support groups and other stakeholders, welcome said recommendations.

A joint statement has been prepared on behalf of all 19 organisations in response to the UK NSC’s decision – full statement below.

Multi-organisation statement on prostate cancer screening (November 2025)

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has recommended targeted prostate cancer screening for men with a BRCA gene variation. This is an important development in early detection, supported by advances in diagnostic pathways that make testing safer and more accurate than in the past.

The clinical and charity experts in prostate cancer remain committed to supporting the early detection of clinically significant prostate cancer while avoiding unnecessary investigation and treatment. We will work with national bodies to strengthen NHS guidance, reduce variation, and ensure clarity for patients and clinicians. This is particularly crucial for other groups of men who face higher risk – black men and those with a family history of prostate cancer.

General practitioners should be supported with clear guidance, appropriate resources, and access to effective risk assessment tools to enable informed discussions with patients. This should include the wider availability of existing online tools, and national awareness campaigns to ensure men understand their individual risk and testing options.

There are up to 30,000 men aged 45-61 who will have the BRCA variant – but very few will know they have it as testing to date has focused on women, where the evidence around higher cancer risk and mitigations have been clearer for decades. The NHS needs to offer BRCA testing to more men, starting by offering testing to male relatives of confirmed BRCA carriers.

Evidence from large-scale studies, particularly Prostate Cancer UK’s TRANSFORM trial, will remain central to finding evidence that allows us to extend screening safely to men not covered by this recommendation.

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