Delay ‘OK’ and a West first

Delaying treatment for localised PCa does not increase mortality risk, Bristol trial shows. More here And two Somerset hospitals are using artificial intelligence (AI) to help speed up diagnosing PCa. Somerset NHS Foundation Trust said it is the first in the UK to introduce its AI tool, called Pi, to work alongside its team of radiologists. More here

New study for Black men

A team at UCL London is seeking to understand the unique experiences of Black men with PCa care in the UK. It wants to uncover the reasons behind healthcare inequalities and developing targeted support to improve outcomes. See flyer or this website. And an NHS 10-part series aims to support Black communities to have open conversations about the risk of Black men developing PCa and the importance of getting tested.  See here on YouTube

• Meetings/speakers

Coffee mornings are held from 10am-noon at Penny Brohn centre, Pill, on the first Thursday of each month. Meetings are held at the Macmillan Wellbeing Centre at Southmead Hospital every third Tuesday of the month (2-4pm). But be warned that car parking can be difficult. Here’s an update on speakers for BAWA events: April 23 – AGM with speaker Allon Stokes, Counselling lead for Penny Brohn. Sept 10 Informal. Nov 11 Speaker – we have invited Lucy Simmons (NHS) to talk on Focal Therapy. Members are urged to suggest possible organisations where we can try to ‘push’ PSA tests and attract more members. Need a lift to any event? We arrange pick-up points close to a bus stop near you. Email details to prospect.bristol@gmail.com a few days in advance. Lifts will usually be timed to arrive at Penny Brohn at 10am unless the driver agrees to another time. Want details of our group? Email prospect.bristol@gmail.com with your postal address and we will send you an information pack.

Cheaper scans

Cheaper, quicker prostate cancer scans just as accurate ‘and can help more men’. More

PCa cases set to double

Cases of the disease are expected to grow as men live longer, with Britain expected to have a 32 per cent increase. We need to start planning and take action now, says UK expert. More here

Stopping cancer cells

This method forces tumour cells into a sleep-like state, say Dundee University researchers. See here

MP on PCa screening

Sir Liam Fox, MP, has written to a Prospect member about PCa and his message is here. And this article says EU screening ‘not fit for purpose’

Making hormone therapy work longer

Researchers find new approaches to hormone therapy to keep it working for longer. More here

Cancer language ‘must change’

Let King Charles’s illness finally change how we speak about cancer: it’s not about ‘winning’ or ‘losing’ a ‘war’, writes Simon Jenkins in the Guardian. As someone treated for bowel cancer, he thinks attitudes must change but also the language. Some of it is tactless, some ridiculous. More here

Veggie diet ‘a help’

A vegetarian diet might help PCa patients. See here

New treatment hope

A German university medical faculty has developed an active substance that might in future represent a new treatment option. Known as KMI169, it targets an enzyme that plays an important role in the development of PCa. More here

13 new test centres

The government has announced 13 new diagnostic centres, enabling the NHS to perform nearly 750,000 more PCa tests and checks each year, says Prostate Cancer Research (Dec ’23).

HIFU starts in West

RUH Bath is the first hospital in the West to use non-invasive PCa treatment. Newly-diagnosed men in the region who think they may be eligible for the treatment can speak to their clinician about referral. See here