Prostate cancer, men’s health and missed opportunities: what’s changed since Movember 2021?

In November 2021, Leigh Day published a blog highlighting the importance of men’s health during Movember and raising awareness of conditions such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health challenges. Five years on, there have been significant developments alongside persistent and concerning gaps in how men engage with healthcare, how conditions are detected, and how systems respond when things go wrong.

Prostate cancer remains a clear example of where awareness, access and early diagnosis can be lifesaving.

Prostate cancer: now the most common cancer in the UK

In January 2026, new analysis confirmed that prostate cancer has overtaken breast cancer to become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK. Data collated by Prostate Cancer UK shows that 64,425 men were diagnosed in 2022, compared to 61,640 breast cancer cases, representing a 24% increase in just one year and a 42% rise over the past decade.

Prostate cancer now accounts for more than a quarter of all cancers diagnosed in men and claims around 12,000 lives every year in the UK. 

This rapid rise is driven in part by improved awareness and testing but also exposes deep inequalities. Men living in more deprived areas are 29% more likely to be diagnosed once the cancer has already spread, and Black men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer yet remain less likely to be diagnosed early.

Why prostate cancer is still being missed

Despite prostate cancer now being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, current NHS guidance still prevents GPs from proactively offering Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) tests to men who are at higher risk of developing the disease. This is a blood test which measures protein levels and can identify prostate conditions, such as prostate cancer. Under existing rules, most men must initiate the conversation themselves with their GP, even if they are over 50, have a family history of prostate cancer, or are from a higher-risk ethnic background.

Prostate Cancer UK has repeatedly described these guidelines as outdated and inequitable, arguing that they place an unfair burden on men to understand their own risk and navigate a complex healthcare system before any testing can take place.  

One of the biggest challenges with prostate cancer is that it often has no symptoms in its early stages. An Ipsos poll published in 2025 found that fewer than one in 10 people correctly understood this, and many men still believe symptoms such as urinary problems or pain must be present before they seek help.

When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• difficulty starting or stopping urination
• a weak urine flow
• frequent need to urinate, especially at night
• blood in urine or semen
• pelvic, back or bone pain in more advanced cases

Men remain less likely to engage with preventative healthcare, discuss symptoms with their GP, or attend routine health checks. Cultural stigma around masculinity, fear of diagnosis, time pressures and lack of targeted NHS screening all contribute to late presentation.

A step forward: England’s first Men’s Health Strategy

Against this backdrop, the government published England’s first-ever Men’s Health Strategy in November 2025, explicitly acknowledging that men:

• are less likely to access healthcare
• have poorer outcomes for many treatable conditions
• die younger on average than women

Significantly, the strategy recognises prostate cancer as a preventable killer when caught early, alongside mental ill health and suicide. Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in men under 50, and the strategy commits funding to reduce stigma, improve access to services, and address health inequalities.

The strategy is welcome, but its success will depend on how effectively it translates into early detection, better pathways and accountability when care fails.

New hope: MRI-based prostate cancer screening trials

One of the most promising developments is the TRANSFORM prostate cancer screening trial, a £42 million nationwide study that officially began in November 2025.

The trial is investigating whether combining:

• PSA blood tests
• genetic risk profiling
• rapid MRI scans

could deliver a safer, more accurate screening programme for men at risk, addressing longstanding concerns about overdiagnosis through PSA testing alone.

Results are expected within the next two years, with the potential to transform national screening policy and reduce the postcode lottery currently experienced across England.

Treatment progress: Abiraterone finally funded in England

In another major development, January 2026 saw confirmation that the life-extending prostate cancer drug abiraterone will now be routinely funded by the NHS in England for men with high-risk prostate cancer that has not yet spread.

Abiraterone is a hormone therapy that stops the body from producing testosterone. This can slow the progression of prostate cancer as prostate cancer cells cannot grow without testosterone. Whilst it is not a cure, it has been shown to help men live longer.  

Previously available in Scotland and Wales, thousands of men in England had been denied access purely due to geography. Clinical trials show abiraterone can:

• reduce the risk of death by up to 40%
• significantly delay disease progression
• save hundreds of lives each year

The decision ends a stark postcode lottery but also highlights how delays in funding and communication can have serious consequences for patients.

The medical negligence perspective

From a medical negligence standpoint, prostate cancer cases often raise serious questions about:

• failures to investigate raised PSA levels
• delayed referrals or scans
• missed red flags in primary care
• breakdowns in follow-up or communication from healthcare providers
• inequalities in access to diagnostics and treatment

Because early prostate cancer can be asymptomatic, healthcare professionals play a critical role in ensuring men are properly informed of their risk, test results are acted upon promptly, and emerging symptoms are not dismissed. 

As awareness grows and screening improves, so too does the expectation that care pathways are safe, timely and equitable. When those systems fail and a diagnosis is delayed as a result, the impact on patients and families can be devastating.

Moving forward

Five years on from Leigh Day’s 2021 Movember blog, progress is visible but so are the challenges that remain. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK, yet many men still do not know the signs, their risk, or when to seek help.

Improved screening, targeted national strategies and fair access to effective treatments are essential. So too is continued scrutiny of healthcare systems to ensure that, when men do reach out for help, they receive the standard of care they deserve.

Anyone who has been affected by a delayed diagnosis of prostate cancer, or who has concerns about the care they received, can contact Leigh Day’s specialist medical negligence lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation.