Warning over rapid at-home prostate tests

There is no national prostate cancer screening programme in the UK, unlike for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.

Instead, the onus is on men to request a blood test from their GP once they are over 50 years old, or from 45 for higher risk groups.

That NHS test, which is processed in a laboratory, measures the level of PSA released by the prostate, a small gland involved in the production of semen.

A high PSA level does not mean you have cancer but is a warning sign which can then lead to further scans and tests to rule out the disease.

PSA levels can be high for a number of other reasons - including an infection, recent vigorous exercise or sex - or in some rare cases remain normal despite cancer.

In the NHS, doctors often use PSA testing as part of a wider consultation about prostate health, bringing in other risk factors like age, ethnicity and family history.

Dr Sam Merriel, a GP and prostate cancer researcher at the University of Manchester, says a full NHS laboratory test can give a far more detailed picture than a cheap home kit that is either positive or negative.

"The actual PSA reading is really important to understand because, as a GP, if I saw a PSA of 4.0 I'd be treating that very differently from a PSA of 400," he adds.

"You just don't get that level of information from a fast home test, so patients might not get the full picture."

Prostate Cancer UK describes the growth of home testing as "the symptom of a wider problem".

"Too many men still don't realise they can access tests through a GP and the guidelines for doctors are dangerously outdated," says Amy Rylance from the charity.

Sir Chris Hoy has been calling for the age to be lowered at which those at higher risk, such as black men or those with a family history, can ask their GP for PSA testing.

The government says current guidelines should not stop doctors from offering a test under the age of 50, but critics say the rules are unclear and there are huge variations in diagnosis rates between GP surgeries.

Prostate Cancer UK has also been calling for a change to allow medics to proactively talk to higher risk patients about the pros and cons of testing instead of waiting for them to come forward.

A spokesman for the Department of Health says it has asked the UK National Screening Committee, which advises the NHS, to review the evidence on testing, with a response expected later this year.

"Prostate cancer patients are waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment but through our National Cancer Plan we will transform the way we treat cancer," he added.