The NHS has teamed up with a cancer charity to try to help save 14,000 lives.
According to NHS England data released this week, prostate cancer accounts for a third of those not treated for cancer compared to before the pandemic.
Prostate Cancer UK have estimated 14,000 men could be living with prostate cancer without even knowing it.
READ MORE: Woman thought cancer 'red flag' was STI symptom
The charity said: "Referrals and treatments for prostate cancer dropped significantly during the pandemic, with men less likely to visit their GP and discuss prostate cancer.
"Previous NHS research found that half of people would delay coming forward to their GP during the height of the pandemic because they didn’t want to burden the health service."
Prostate cancer is very treatable if caught early, so it’s vitally important that these men are found quickly before their cancer spreads.
The charity urged people to share a simple action that could help to save thousands of lives as they said: "Please help our dads, sons, brothers and friends get the treatment they urgently need."
Prostate Cancer UK has created a 30 second risk checker which they have urged all men to do and then asked them to pass it on to family and friends too.
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer at NHS England, said: "The prognosis for the patients we’re yet to see should still be positive, but we do need to see them as soon as possible.
"It’s important men understand prostate cancer often doesn’t show any symptoms at an early stage, so don’t wait – check your risk now."
Prostate cancer symptoms
The NHS website states: "Prostate cancer does not usually cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra)."
Symptoms of prostate cancer can include:
- needing to pee more frequently, often during the night
- needing to rush to the toilet
- difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
- straining or taking a long time while peeing
- weak flow
- feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
- blood in urine or blood in semen
These symptoms do not always mean you have prostate cancer. Many men's prostates get larger as they get older because of a non-cancerous condition called benign prostate enlargement.
Signs that the cancer may have spread include bone and back pain, a loss of appetite, pain in the testicles and unintentional weight loss.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
