Prostate health: reassurance and early detection
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases diagnosed each year. While mortality has fallen by 10% over the last decade, the number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer continues to rise. These trends highlight the critical importance of early detection and more effective screening strategies.
At Preventicum, early detection is a central focus of our health assessments. We aim to reassure the majority of our male clients with normal or low-risk findings, while identifying those rare cases where early intervention can make a real difference.
Our Optimal+ and Ultimate+ Assessments
Our Optimal+ and Ultimate+ Assessments for men over 45 or with a family history of prostate cancer, include a biparametric MRI scan of the prostate. Our detailed, high-definition images are reviewed and reported by a specialist Consultant Uroradiologist and enhanced with AI reporting technology, which strengthens diagnostic confidence and ensures more accurate, actionable assessments of the prostate.
We have worked closely for a number of years with leading UK Urologists and Uroradiologists to develop an advanced biparametric MRI (bpMRI) screening protocol, using high-resolution imaging without the need for contrast agents. This approach is safer for clients, quicker to perform than multiparametric MRI (with contrast) and still provides detailed imaging to identify clinically significant lesions.
Reassurance
Most men who have prostate checks are healthy and our experience confirms this. Using a combination of PSA testing, PSA density measurement and our cutting edge bpMRI, we can provide clear, evidence-based reassurance. Almost 96% of Preventicum clients with a reassuring prostate MRI scan also had a normal PSA result.
Since introducing our Optimal+ and Ultimate+ in January 2025, around 85% of our clients' prostate assessments indicated no significant risk, giving them peace of mind about their prostate health.
Early detection
For a small percentage of men, our scans identify changes that may signal early-stage prostate cancer. Around 5% of men who had our Optimal+ and Ultimate+ Assessments in 2025 showed lesions that required urgent referral to a Consultant Urologist within our network of specialists. Where follow-up information is available, 80% of these cases were diagnosed at an early stage, allowing timely, targeted treatments such as high-intensity focal ultrasound (HIFU), which can treat the cancer while preserving quality of life.
Importantly, most of these cancers were detected despite normal PSA levels. Without advanced MRI screening, these cancers may have gone unnoticed until later, when treatment options and outcomes can be more limited. Our data also shows that PSA levels are on average higher in clients with abnormal prostate MRI scans.
Ongoing monitoring and equivocal findings
A small group of men had findings that showed pre-cancerous lesions or were equivocal. Around 20% of those with significant lesions were found not to have cancer after further investigation, with monitoring advised to ensure any changes are caught early. Another 10% had equivocal findings on MRI and are receiving tailored follow-up care to ensure nothing is missed.
Part of a world class health assessment
While there is no national prostate screening programme in the UK, high-profile cases continue to highlight the importance of early detection. Including prostate screening as a part of our Optimal+ and Ultimate+ Assessments gives our male clients a proactive, evidence-based approach to their prostate health – offering reassurance for most and early detection to those who need it.
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