Sunderland men urged to take 30-second risk-checker for prostate cancer

More than 17,000 men in the North East are living with prostate cancer.

But an online risk checker is helping to save lives and the charity Prostate Cancer UK is urging Wearside people to use it today.

The 30-second risk checker aims to help men understand their risk and decide whether a PSA blood test is right for them.

You can find it here.

Thousands are living with it

Prostate Cancer UK has also shared the latest statistics on the numbers of men affected in the North East.

They show; 1,608 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in the North East in 2020.

17,431 men were living with prostate cancer in the North East in 2019.

526 men died from prostate cancer in 2020.

All this comes on the day that SAFC Gary Bennett MBE told how he was diagnosed with the disease but an early health check meant his prognosis was encouraging.

He told the Sunderland Echo: "I did not have any symptoms and that is something we are trying to make men aware of. I was lucky enough to get the diagnosis early."

A year on from the saddest news

The call for men to take action also comes a year on from the death of Prostate Cancer UK ambassador and presenter Bill Turnbull.

When Bill announced his diagnosis in early 2018, within weeks of Stephen Fry sharing his own diagnosis, it led to an unprecedented spike in referrals, which became known as the ‘Fry-Turnbull’ effect.  

The data shows that urological cancer referrals and treatments also surged in the months following the news of his death.

Increased awareness and 61,000 using the risk checker

Over 25,000 men were referred in November 2022 – an all-time high, with increased awareness contributing to record-breaking numbers being treated for urological cancer in England.

Meanwhile, over 61,000 people completed the charity’s online risk checker in the week following Bill’s death - a 2,500% increase on the previous week.

Laura Kerby, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “This huge rise in referrals and treatments is testament to the incredible work done by so many to raise awareness and I thank the NHS staff who are treating more patients than ever before. 

 “From inspirational individuals like Bill Turnbull sharing their story to our national campaign with the NHS, the response has been incredible."

Find out what you can do about it

 “This year, in honour of Bill’s incredible legacy, we’re asking people to ‘Broadcast it like Bill’ and raise awareness of the disease – encouraging as many men as possible to take our 30-second risk checker to learn if they’re at risk, and if so, what they can do about it.”

FACTS ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER

o  1 in 8 men will get prostate cancer.   

o  If you’re over 50, if you’re Black, or if your dad or brother have had it, you’re at even higher risk.    

o  Most men with early prostate cancer don’t have symptoms. 

o  More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average – that's 143 men every day.  

o  Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that's more than 12,000 men every year.  

o  Around 475,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer.  

o  Anyone with concerns about prostate cancer may contact Prostate Cancer UK's Specialist Nurses in confidence on 0800 074 8383 or online via the Live Chat instant messaging service:www.prostatecanceruk.org. The Specialist Nurse phone service is free to landlines and open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays, 10am to 5pm on Wednesdays.