Prostate cancer referrals plummet

The number of referrals for men who have got suspected urological cancer dipped to its lowest level in ten years during lock down, a charity has warned.

Prostate Cancer UK raised concerns that a dip in referrals would mean more men are diagnosed later on in their illness, potentially meaning their disease has progressed to an incurable stage.

Its analysis of data showed that urgent referrals for urological cancers dropped compared to the same period last year.

The charity estimates there have been 27,000 fewer patients referred than expected since the UK lock down period began in March.

Angela Culhane, chief executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said :“Earlier this year, we announced that prostate cancer had become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, thanks largely to a greater awareness of the disease in recent years.

“Detecting prostate cancer earlier helps save lives, but Covid -19 has made it harder for men to visit their doctor this year, especially if they don’t feel unwell or have no symptoms.”