Renowned Lincolnshire actor Colin McFarlane encourages black men to partake in a prostate cancer screening trial. His aim is to accumulate further evidence that might underpin a forthcoming screening programme. This plea emanates after the UK’s National Screening Committee chose not to endorse a universal screening plan due to possible negative implications. McFarlane, who received a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2022, expressed his disillusionment over this decision. He referred to the fact that prostate cancer impacts one in eight men, increasing to one in four black men according to Prostate Cancer UK.
McFarlane underscored the troubling statistic stating that 12,000 men succumb to prostate cancer every year, and 10,000 are diagnosed when it’s too late for a cure. He accentuated the value of the PSA test, which he regularly takes every three months, in conjunction with a yearly MRI scan. He entreated black men aged between 45 and 74 to enrol in Prostate Cancer UK’s Transform trial, which is aimed at developing a safe and precise screening method.
The sentiment of disappointment with the committee’s decision was echoed by Chiara De Biase of Prostate Cancer UK, who joined McFarlane on BBC Breakfast. De Biase stressed the paucity of evidence for black men due to their underrepresentation in relevant research initiatives. To mitigate this, the charity funds the Transform trial. McFarlane also urged doctors not to dismiss men wanting PSA tests, noting that symptoms generally manifest too late.
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This story has been adapted by The Lincoln Post from the original report by www.bbc.com.
