The committee has advised that it does not currently recommend a screening programme for all men, as there are concerns that the harms caused by screening outweigh the benefits. It recommends that men with confirmed faults in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes aged between 45 and 61 should be screened every two years.
In response, Dr Stephen Harden, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: ‘Targeted prostate cancer screening is an important step to catch cancer earlier and help improve outcomes for those at higher risk as BRCA gene carriers. However, it will increase demand for MRI and other diagnostic imaging, and for clinical assessment and treatment.
‘We must train up more clinical radiologists and clinical oncologists to ensure that additional cases detected through screening can be assessed, monitored, and treated promptly and effectively. Many people diagnosed through screening may enter long term monitoring or have treatment with lasting side effects. Supportive oncology services should be expanded to help more patients access support for the physical, emotional, and practical impact of their diagnosis.'
Liberal Democrat Primary Care and Cancer spokesperson Helen Maguire MP said: ‘Screening for those with relevant genetic variants is a landmark moment that will stop needless tragedies and deaths. We applaud the work of cancer survivors and bereaved families in helping us reach this point.
‘But this must only be the first step in a new fight against prostate cancer. The Government should urgently guarantee this targeted screening across the country, and just as importantly, it must commit to further investment in research to unlock broader screening so that many more men can be protected.
‘Screening should go hand in hand with faster treatment and a guarantee, written into law and backed by investment, that every patient, including those with prostate cancer, are treated within 62 days.'
The 12-week consultation on the draft recommendations has now opened, before the NSC issues full recommendations in 2026.
