TRANSFORM aims to revolutionise diagnosis by testing the most promising screening techniques available, including PSA blood tests, genetic spit tests and fast MRI scans combined in ways that have never before been done.  

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting said ‘today marks a turning point for prostate cancer care in this country, as the first men are invited to take part in this game-changing trial funded by the Government and Prostate Cancer UK'.

Streeting added: ‘When the UK National Screening Committee share their initial findings on screening for prostate cancer, I will look carefully at their recommendations as I am determined to bring about genuine change. Just this week, this Government announced that men with prostate cancer will be able to book a blood test on the NHS App in the comfort of their own home, as part of our landmark Men's Health Strategy.'

Those recruited this week will form part of the first 16,000 men taking part in stage one. 

The approaches that prove most effective will then be tested in a much larger group of up to 300,000 men, making it the biggest prostate cancer trial launched in more than two decades.

The National Institute for Health and Care Research is providing £16m for the programme with the remaining £26m coming from Prostate Cancer UK.