Prostate Cancer: Screening

Government responsibility for delivering cancer research is shared between the Department of Health and Social Care, with research delivered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, with research delivered via UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The Government is partnering with Prostate Cancer UK (PCUK) on the £60 million TRANSFORM screening trial to find the best way to screen men for prostate cancer to find it before it becomes advanced and harder to treat. PCUK is managing the award on behalf of the funders with the government initially contributing £16 million through the NIHR. Stage 1 of the TRANSFORM trial is expected to complete in December 2027 with the exact date that findings will be available dependent on progress with recruitment.

On 2 June 2026, the Government announced up to £18 million in new funding from the NIHR to expand the TRANSFORM trial, enabling all eligible Black men to be invited to Stage 2 of the trial. The move recognises that Black men face a higher risk of prostate cancer and aims to build the evidence needed to find the best screening strategy and tackle long-standing inequalities. Subject to progress in stage 1, it is expected that stage 2 of the TRANSFORM trial, including expansion, will begin in early 2028.

To ensure the expansion reaches Black men from all communities, supported by the funding from the NIHR, the TRANSFORM investigators are working with PCUK to boost community engagement around the country and encourage Black men to take part in the trial. Prostate cancer research continues to be a priority to the department, as highlighted in the Men’s Health Strategy.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) worked with PCUK on the design of TRANSFORM. It will liaise closely with the trial team to get timely access to any trial data that might help fill evidence gaps and inform future modifications to the UK NSC’s prostate cancer screening recommendation.