Prostate cancer diagnoses in England are currently around 20% higher than in 2019, according to data from NHS England's Rapid Cancer Registration Data dashboard. This translates to approximately 1,000 additional diagnoses every month.
Experts suggest this rise is largely due to increased PSA testing among men who do not have symptoms of prostate cancer. The number of men diagnosed with Stage 1 prostate cancer has seen a significant increase, rising from about 1,000 diagnoses per month in 2019 to almost 2,000 per month in 2026.
While earlier detection can be beneficial, particularly for men in their 50s and early 60s, the increase in Stage 1 diagnoses is not automatically considered positive. For men over 70, routine PSA testing may offer little or no benefit and could increase the risk of overdiagnosis, potentially leading to unnecessary treatment.
The overall number of men living with or after prostate cancer in the UK is estimated to have increased from around 500,000 in 2020 to approximately 600,000 now. This reflects a combination of more diagnoses, greater public awareness, and men living longer after diagnosis due to improved treatments.