Lord Bailey of Paddington (Con)

My Lords, prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men, but the risk is not shared equally. Black men face a one in four lifetime risk, compared with a one in eight risk for white men. They are also most likely to be diagnosed at a late stage, when treatment is less effective. Men with a family history of BRCA mutations or who live in more deprived areas are also at greater risk. Yet the current guidelines treat all men the same. GPs are told not to raise the issue unless the man has symptoms, but prostate cancer often has no symptoms until it is advanced. Prostate Cancer UK argues that this is outdated and dangerous. It is calling for GPs to be allowed to proactively speak to black men aged 45 about PSA testing. This small change could save lives by enabling diagnosis and treatment. Previous trials have not included enough black men to show the full benefits of screening, but this gap in evidence should not justify inaction. Updating guidelines to reflect this risk is a matter of public health and fairness. I urge the Government to act so that this inequity and this postcode lottery no longer dictate a man’s chances of surviving prostate cancer. I had to badger my GP to have it done. I had to point out that I am of West Indian descent and that my family has had this happen before. That was the only point at which it became relevant to my GP. If you did not have my tenacity, that could be a death sentence. You would not be willing, would not be able and would not even know that you need to take on this system. There are many poor communities, black and white, that need this change if our men are to survive.