Prostate cancer cases rise by nearly 20% in Suffolk and North East Essex

Why it matters: Prostate Cancer UK said the data vindicates its campaign to find the 'missing men' not getting checked but warned many were still being diagnosed too late.

The big picture: 1,222 men were diagnosed in the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex region.

• This represents a 19% rise from 2021
• The area saw 224 diagnoses per 100,000 people
• 42% of cases were in men aged 70-79

What they're saying: Despite more men getting tested, Prostate Cancer UK warns many are still being diagnosed too late. Amy Rylance, assistant director of health improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said there was a "huge drop" in men getting tested during the pandemic.

"By early 2022, there were over 14,000 men missing a prostate cancer diagnosis," she said.

"To find these 'missing men', we launched a major campaign with the NHS in 2022, and created our online risk checker which enables men to quickly find out their risk of getting prostate cancer and what they can do about it.

"At the time we saw record-breaking numbers of referrals with suspected cancer, and this data confirms the effectiveness of that campaign."

What's next: The charity is calling on the Government to update NHS guidelines that prevent GPs from proactively discussing options with men most at risk.

NHS national cancer director Dame Cally Palmer said the NHS was diagnosing more cancers and working to raise awareness.

She added: "While staff have been working hard to see and treat more people with cancer than ever before, we know that some people are still waiting too long to receive a diagnosis or the all-clear, and there is more to do to ensure all patients receive high-quality and timely care.

"If you are worried about potential signs and symptoms of cancer, it is important that you contact your GP without delay."

The bottom line: Men concerned about prostate cancer can use Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker or visit Macmillan's website for more information and support.