Help Us Fight Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer – Get Tested!

Did you know Prostate Cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in England.  In the UK, 1 in 8 men will be get prostate cancer in their lifetime. 12,000 men will die every year, that’s one man every 45 minutes.

Caught early prostate cancer is usually curable.  Because prostate cancer often doesn’t have any symptoms in its early stages, it is vital you are aware of your risks and you get a simple PSA blood test, used to help detect prostate cancer.

What You Should Know About Your Risks

There are three things that may mean men are more likely to get prostate cancer:

  • Age – it mainly affects men aged 50 or over, and the risk increases as you get older.  It is vital that men over 50 are aware of the potential problem and consult their GP routinely ​

  • Family history – Men are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer with a family history (father or brother) of the disease, compared to a man who has no relatives with prostate cancer.

  • Black men are more likely to get prostate cancer than other men. No-one knows why exactly, but it might be linked to genes. In the UK, about 1 in 4 black men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime.  If you’re a black and you’re over 45, speak to your GP about your risk of prostate cancer, even if you don’t have any symptoms.

How to get a PSA test

A PSA blood test involves taking a sample of your blood which is sent to a laboratory to be tested.  You can eat and drink as normal before having a PSA test, but vigorous exercise and ejaculation should be avoided for 48 hours before the blood test.

The test measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate.

There is currently no routine national screening programme in the UK for prostate cancer. To get a PSA test:

  • Any man can make an appointment with their GP to discuss having the PSA test. This is a simple blood test, without any intrusive internal examinations.  The test is available for free on the NHS to anyone with a prostate, including trans women and non-binary people.

  • Or you can get a PSA test via the Prostate Project Mobile PSA Testing Clinic (Man Van), at community centres, golf club, football stadiums or at your workplace.  We will help you make an informed choice about testing, and help you understand the results.  Contact us for more information at: info@prostate-project.org.uk

  • Or you can order a home testing kit from healthcare organisations, such as Medefer or PSA testing charities such as My PSA Tests 

  • Every man over 50 has the legal right, by Act of Parliament, to a PSA test​

Lots of things can cause a raised PSA level, (an enlarged prostate, prostatitis (inflammation) or prostate cancer).  If you have a raised PSA level, your GP may refer you to a urologist for further evaluation.

If caught early, prostate cancer is usually curable.

This 90 second animation shouts the “Get Tested” message:

Symptoms Requiring Action

Prostate cancer is diagnosed by using the PSA test, MRI scans and biopsies.  There can be few symptoms of prostate cancer in the early stages, and because of its location most symptoms are linked to urination. However, such symptoms are often associated with non-cancerous conditions such as an enlarged prostate, prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and urinary infection. Men with prostate cancer can also live for decades without symptoms or needing treatment because the disease often progresses very slowly.

  • Frequent need to pass urine, particularly at night

  • Delay before urinating and/or interrupted flow

  • Needing to run to the toilet

  • Feeling your bladder has not emptied fully

  • Pain in passing urine or when ejaculating

  • Blood in semen or urine

  • Difficulty in getting or keeping an erection

  • Nagging pain in the lower back or hip area

Because early prostate cancer is usually symptomless, all men who have these risk factors should talk to their GP about having a simple PSA blood test,

ONE from Sanaway – We’re right beside you

Sanaway’s commitment to The Prostate Project is deeply personal. Co-founder and director Graham Keys father-in-law tragically passed away from prostate cancer in 2000, a loss that fuels the company’s dedication to raising awareness and supporting early diagnosis.

With prostate cancer being the most common cancer in the UK, it is increasingly important to provide men with access to hygiene disposal units to discreetly dispose of male hygiene products.

Sanaway’s partnership with The Prostate Project marks the launch of its new, unisex ‘ONE’ hygiene service which aims to normalise the presence and use of a universal hygiene unit that can be used by everyone who needs them, regardless of whether they use male, female, unisex, or accessible washroom facilities.

‘ONE’ units can be used by all people experiencing urinary incontinence issues which may be related to conditions such as prostate cancer, the menopause, a stroke, dementia, obesity, or because of disability and certain neurological conditions. The use of some medications may also cause temporary incontinence issues.

For more information on how ‘ONE’ can benefit your workplace washroom, please contact Sanaway today on: one@sanaway.co.uk or 0345 094 9495.