David Cameron reveals prostate cancer diagnosis and calls for targeted screening
Guardian1 day
UK: Former Prime Minister Cameron Reveals Prostate Cancer Diagnosis
Is this proof that targeted screening saves lives, or do unreliable tests cause more harm than good?
Above: Former Prime Minister David Cameron at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London on Nov. 9, 2025. Image credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Cameron's prostate cancer diagnosis proves targeted screening saves lives, and the NHS must act immediately. New technologies like focal therapy make treatment less invasive, while European studies show screening cuts deaths by 13%. The government has all the evidence needed to launch screening for high-risk men instead of leaving lives to chance.
Narrative B
Mass prostate screening remains medically questionable despite celebrity endorsements and political pressure. The UK National Screening Committee previously rejected screening because unreliable tests lead to overtreatment and unnecessary procedures. Millions of men will die with prostate cancer, not from it, making widespread testing potentially harmful.