David Lammy with Jean Herd, who attended the drop-in sessions with MPs
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David Lammy, MP for Tottenham, showed his support for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month on Wednesday. The annual awareness campaign is organised by The Prostate Cancer Charity, who for the past month have been mobilising people across the county, urging them to 'declare I’m aware'.
The month concluded with the Charity launching a new campaign at the Houses of Parliament. The campaign, Testing Choices, aims to ensure that all men at higher risk of prostate cancer, including men over 50, those with a family history of the disease and African Caribbean men, understand their right to balanced information and the support they need about whether or not to have a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test*. David Lammy MP attended a drop in session for MPs to learn more about the campaign and speak to people affected by prostate cancer.
Current Government guidelines**, of which only 36% of GP’s are aware, state that men over the age of 50 have the right to ask for a PSA test following a balanced discussion with their doctor about its pros and cons. Yet research by the Charity shows that two thirds of men over 50 don’t even know the test exists. In addition, one in five GPs never talk about the PSA test with at risk groups, unless they have potential symptoms of prostate cancer. This means that all too often, men are unable to choose whether or not the test is right for them.
This lack of knowledge and scepticism among some GPs about the test means that some doctors are not making patients aware of the test, or their right to choose to have it. David Lammy joined the launch and added his support for a new programme that is better able to provide men with balanced information about prostate cancer.
David Lammy said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Every year 37,000 men are diagnosed with the disease. Not all men who are at higher risk of developing the disease know about it, let alone how it can be diagnosed and treated. We need to do more to ensure that all men are aware. 10,000 men die from prostate cancer every year so it’s vitally important that all men over 50 get equal levels of information and support. That’s why I attended The Prostate Cancer Charity's drop in session to meet people affected by prostate cancer to pledge my support.
Dr Sarah Cant, Head of Policy & Campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity said: “It’s fantastic that David Lammy has supported the Testing Choices campaign by attending our drop in session to meet people affected by prostate cancer. We hope many more politicians will follow suit and back the Charity’s call for a new information programme that will reach more men who have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.”
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