FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has been named an ambassador for Prostate Cancer Research, supporting its campaign for a national screening programme for men at high risk of the disease.
The announcement follows Sunak’s visit to Oxford BioDynamics last week, where he learned about the EpiSwitch PSE blood test, which can detect prostate cancer with 94 per cent accuracy. This is seen as a major improvement over the commonly used PSA test.
Sunak also spoke to patients about the importance of early detection.
The former prime minister, who is the MP for Richmond and Northallerton, said he was “honoured” to support the charity’s mission.
“Men tend to ignore pain, hoping it will go away. That’s one reason why prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males in the UK,” he said.
As an ambassador, Sunak will back the charity’s efforts to improve research, diagnosis, and treatment. Prostate Cancer Research’s Proactive for Your Prostate campaign is pushing for a targeted national screening programme and better diagnostic tools using AI.
According to reports, prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the UK, with around one in eight men affected in their lifetime. The new PSE test is already available privately across the country. Oliver Kemp, CEO of Prostate Cancer Research, called his support “invaluable”.
