Celebrity Advocacy for Prostate Cancer Screening Linked to harmful “Overtesting,” Oxford Study Finds
London, UK – Well-intentioned campaigns by high-profile figures urging men to get tested for prostate cancer are inadvertently driving a surge in potentially harmful ”overtesting,” according to a major new study from the University of Oxford. Published in the BMJ, the research reveals a clear correlation between celebrity endorsements of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) testing and significant increases in requests for the test, even amongst men without symptoms.
The study, which analyzed the health records of ten million men in England over nearly two decades, found that PSA test requests spiked during periods of heightened media attention surrounding prostate cancer diagnoses. Notably, requests jumped by 26% in 2018 following public announcements from comedian Stephen Fry and BBC presenter Bill Turnbull about their diagnoses and subsequent calls for increased testing. More recently, endorsements from figures like Gary Lineker and Sir Chris Hoy have continued to fuel demand.
The Problem with PSA testing
While prostate cancer is the moast common cancer in the UK, affecting approximately 55,300 men annually and causing 12,200 deaths, the PSA test itself is notoriously unreliable. The NHS currently doesn’t recommend routine PSA testing for men without symptoms due to its tendency to produce both false positives and false negatives.
False positives can lead to unnecessary and invasive treatments – including surgery and radiation – which carry significant risks of side effects like incontinence and erectile dysfunction. conversely, false negatives can provide a false sense of security, delaying diagnosis and treatment for aggressive cancers.
“The main concern is that unnecessary testing can lead to significant harm for men,” explains Dr. Juan Franco in an editorial accompanying the study.
Disparities in Testing & Calls for Better guidelines
The Oxford study also highlighted concerning disparities in who is getting tested. Men who are wealthier, white, and reside in the south of England are significantly more likely to request PSA tests, and are often tested more frequently than recommended guidelines suggest. This raises concerns about inequitable access to healthcare and the potential for exacerbating existing health inequalities.
Simultaneously, millions of men are not being tested at all, underscoring the need for clearer, more effective guidelines on when and how often men should undergo PSA screening.
NHS Preparedness & Upcoming Screening Recommendations
The researchers urge the NHS to prepare for “unpredictable surges in PSA testing, overtesting and associated costs” whenever celebrities publicly advocate for screening.
The National Screening Committee, which advises the NHS, is expected to release its recommendations on a national prostate cancer screening program next month. Current expectations are that the committee will conclude that the potential harms of mass PSA testing outweigh the benefits.
This study serves as a crucial reminder that while raising awareness about prostate cancer is vital, it must be coupled with accurate information about the limitations of PSA testing and a commitment to equitable access to appropriate care.
Keywords: Prostate Cancer, PSA Test, Screening, Overtesting, Stephen Fry, Bill Turnbull, Gary lineker, chris Hoy, NHS, Oxford Study, Cancer Awareness, Men’s Health, Health Disparities.
