*ADVERTORIAL*

More than 52,000 prostate cancer cases are diagnosed every year in the UK – that’s 144 men every day. So, it’s important that every man has a good understanding of their risk and knows about screening options.  

When caught early, prostate cancer is highly treatable, and survival rates are excellent. Early prostate cancer detection saves lives, which is why regular prostate health checks are one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your future.

What’s your risk of getting prostate cancer? 

You may have a higher risk of prostate cancer if you:

• Are older than 50 years old
• Have a family history of prostate cancer
• Are from a black ethic background
• Have a close relative who has had breast cancer or ovarian cancer (related genetic risk)

What symptoms should you look out for? 

In the early stages, prostate cancer often has no symptoms. It’s likely that you’ll only start to notice symptoms once the cancer has grown or spread. Symptoms can include:

• Difficulty starting to urinate or straining 
• Having a weak flow of urine, or stopping and starting
• Needing to urinate urgently or often, or both
• Feeling like you still need to urinate when you've just finished
• Urinating during the night

Other symptoms can include erectile dysfunction, blood in your urine or blood in your semen, lower back pain and losing weight without trying to. 

What happens at a PRIME Health prostate screening? 

At PRIME Health, we make prostate cancer screening simple, discreet, and reassuring. Our experienced private GPs are supported by in-house consultant urologists, and thus well placed to provide you with a truly comprehensive assessment, often in a single visit. We offer a variety of options, dependent on your individual risk:

1.      First step 

Our doctors will go through your detailed medical history, take some blood for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and, if appropriate, perform a quick digital rectal examination (DRE). Together these give an early indication of prostate health. 

Many men feel nervous about this step, but the examination only takes a few moments, is handled with complete professionalism and most patients are surprised by how easy it is. 

• Advanced blood testing

For further accuracy and risk stratification, we also offer the Stockholm3 prostate cancer test. This highly sensitive blood test combines genetic markers, protein levels, and clinical data to give an accurate risk score. 

This cutting edge test has been validated in more than 90,000 men, with results published in more than 30 peer reviewed articles and provides clear, interpretable results (high risk, normal risk, low risk) with treatment recommendations. The Stockholm3 is far more precise than PSA alone and provides peace of mind for several years. This is an excellent choice for men with a family history of prostate cancer or those who want the most reliable prostate cancer blood screening without invasive procedures.

• Imaging

For those seeking the most comprehensive option, we can arrange the gold standard in imaging – MRI scans. At PRIME, we offer both the time effective bi-parametric MRI scans for men aged over 50 and low risk. 

We also offer more advanced multi-parametric prostate MRI scans – state-of-the-art imaging that gives a detailed view of the prostate and can detect even the smallest changes before symptoms appear. It’s ideal for men at higher risk or anyone who wants complete certainty.

What happens after screening tests? 

If any abnormalities are identified, PRIME health is able to offer in-house consultations with a urologist, or swift referral to a private consultant of your choosing to investigate and further manage the issue. 

Above all, the most important step is starting the conversation and getting checked. Prostate cancer caught early is almost always treatable, and screening could be the simplest, most important thing you do for your health – and for the people who depend on you.

At PRIME health, our expert team combines advanced technology with compassionate care to detect problems early and give you complete confidence in your prostate health.