IMProVE - Screening for prostate cancer content
Led by experts at the University of Sheffield in partnership with Queen Mary University of London, the trial will investigate whether a programme that combines blood tests with MRI scans could save lives and if so, how it can be organised to reduce health inequalities.
The IMProVE clinical trial will initially involve 4,500 people in Sheffield and Leeds and may be expanded to other parts of the region.
Why is this trial needed?
- Every year in Yorkshire, more than 4,000 men are told they have prostate cancer.
- More than half are diagnosed at a late stage when there are fewer treatment options and the side effects from treatment can be much worse.
- There is no national screening programme for prostate cancer - this trial will provide crucial evidence to help introduce one.
How it works
The trial will launch in summer 2026. It will explore if combining PSA tests, which check for raised levels of the PSA protein in the blood, and MRI scans leads to better identification of harmful prostate cancer in people without symptoms who can then be treated. The trial will also look at whether this leads to fewer people being treated unnecessarily
- Men living in areas with high rates of advanced prostate cancer will be invited to take part by their GP practice
- They will then attend a mobile unit at a convenient local location, where they will take a PSA test
- If a person has a raised PSA level, they will receive a follow up MRI scan
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Quote from Professor James Catto
“There is an urgent need to develop an effective way to screen men at high risk of prostate cancer. While there are tests that can be performed to find prostate cancer early, they are not reliable and can lead to people being ‘overdiagnosed’.
About prostate cancer screening
Screening helps find cancer at the earliest possible stage, before symptoms develop, and has the power to significantly improve survival.
The NHS currently provides free screening for people most at risk of breast, cervical and bowel cancer, and lung health checks will be rolled out nationally by 2030.
The PSA test, which is currently available through GP surgeries, measures the amount of a protein called prostate specific antigen in the blood. PSA is produced by normal cells and also by prostate cancer cells.
A raised PSA level can mean there is a problem with the prostate, but this may be due to causes other than cancer. In addition, not all patients with prostate cancer have a raised PSA level.
As part of standard NHS care, people with raised PSA levels are offered MRI scans to help determine if they have cancer.
How will this trial benefit Yorkshire?
Every year in Yorkshire, more than 4,000 men are told they have prostate cancer. Of those, more than half are diagnosed at a late stage when there are fewer treatment options and the side effects from treatment can be much worse.
There are wide disparities in prostate cancer diagnosis and survival between Yorkshire and other parts of England, and within the region itself.
Men in Yorkshire are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer than men living in London. Within the region, the percentage of people coming forward with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body varies considerably.
As part of the trial, the research team will also explore the perspectives of men most at risk of prostate cancer. These include Black men and men from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, to understand their views on prostate cancer and any factors that might encourage or discourage them from taking part in screening. The findings will then be used to help shape the trial.
IMProVE clinical trial is led by...
Professor Jim Catto
“There is an urgent need to develop an effective way to screen men at high risk of prostate cancer. While there are tests that can be performed to find prostate cancer early, they are not reliable and can lead to people being ‘overdiagnosed’.
Professor Peter Sasieni CBE
“This approach is deliverable by the NHS because it doesn’t involve new technology or equipment and because most of those screened will only need a low-cost blood test.”