Prostate cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK, with around 172 new cases every day and over 12,000 deaths annually. Because it can often develop without symptoms, early detection is crucial. Fortunately, the tests available are evolving, offering more accurate ways to identify cancers.
How Prostate Screening Works
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that wraps around the urethra, the tube carrying urine and sperm out of the body. It naturally produces prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein that can be measured in the blood. High PSA levels can indicate cancer, though they may also result from non-cancerous conditions like an enlarged prostate or recent vigorous exercise.
Screening may involve blood tests such as PSA or Stockholm3, alongside an MRI scan or physical examination as part of the diagnostic process.
Who Should Consider Screening?
Screening is generally recommended for:
- Men over 50, even without symptoms. You need to ask for a test – you won’t be offered one automatically.
- Men over 45 at higher risk, including those with a father or brother diagnosed before 60, or men of Black or African Caribbean heritage.
- Men experiencing urinary or prostate-related symptoms, such as difficulty starting or stopping urination, weak flow, frequent nighttime urination, or feeling the bladder doesn’t empty fully.
The different tests: PSA vs Stockholm3
- PSA Test: Measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen in the blood. Raised levels may indicate cancer but can also result from other prostate conditions, or as a result of something innocuous such as exercise.
- Stockholm3 Test: Combines PSA with additional biomarkers, genetic risk scores, and clinical information to produce a personalised risk score for clinically significant prostate cancer. It is considered more accurate than the PSA.
PSA Pros:
- Widely available in the UK via a GP, though there is no national screening programme.
- Non-invasive and relatively low cost for the NHS.
- Can detect cancers early, before symptoms develop.
PSA Cons:
- False positives are common: around 75% of men with raised PSA (≥3 ng/ml) do not have prostate cancer. Raised PSA can also result from vigorous exercise or benign enlargement.
- False negatives are possible: research suggests around 15 in 100 men with a ‘normal’ PSA may still have prostate cancer.
Stockholm3 Pros:
- More accurate in identifying clinically significant prostate cancer while reducing unnecessary procedures.
- Can detect aggressive cancers even when PSA is low.
- NICE documentation notes Stockholm3 reduced the number of biopsies by around 32–34% compared to PSA alone, while maintaining sensitivity for higher-grade disease.
Stockholm3 Cons:
- Not widely available through the NHS; private testing is often the only option.
- Originated in Sweden, so more research is needed to confirm its effectiveness across diverse ethnic groups.
Whilst the PSA remains a first-line, accessible tool for screening for prostate cancer, the Stockholm3 represents a more advanced test resulting in personalised prostate cancer detection.
Get Tested At Haven Medical
Both PSA and Stockholm3 testing is available at Haven Medical via an appointment with one of our GPs. We are also able to offer the TrucheckTM test, a blood test that screens for over 70 types of cancer.
Read more about TrucheckTM here
Appointments are often available within a day or two. Please use the links above to book or call 01202 110303 and one of our team will be delighted to help,
