Dear Editor,
I beg to differ with Rebecca Coombes’ comments in this week’s BMJ (BMJ 2023;380:p183) entitled ‘Innovative solutions can help repair the NHS’. Most of the article hit the nail on the head, but then she writes, ‘Some ideas may not survive scrutiny: for instance, staff hydration stations, PSA tests for all men over 50…..’
Many organisations now support PSA testing for all men aged 45-70 and PSA screening (over 20 years) in USA and Europe have halved PCa mortality. A proposed UK programme, ticks all the boxes of the Wilson-Jungner screening criteria.
The UK incidence (52,000) and deaths (12,000) per year, from PCa, continues to rise. Men are presenting with PCa at a later stage and suffer more serious disease. The costs of treating advanced, incurable PCa is 300,000 euros whereas curative treatment costs about 15,000 euros.
Surely a mélange of PSA testing, taking into consideration individual risk, and mpMRI scanning of the prostate is the way forward?
Furthermore, we need the Government to appoint a Minister of Health for Men in order to enthuse, encourage, and empower their fellow politicians and society in general to take the health of men seriously.
Re: Innovative solutions can help repair the NHS: PSA testing