Let’s be direct about something most men avoid thinking about until it’s too late.
In the UK, prostate cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in men. According to Prostate Cancer UK, approximately 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year — that’s one man every ten minutes. In 2025, those numbers haven’t gone down. If anything, awareness has grown, but the reluctance among men to take action remains stubbornly high.
And here’s the heartbreaking truth: when prostate cancer is caught early, the survival rate is close to 100%. When it’s caught late, that story changes dramatically.
So the question isn’t whether you should be paying attention to your prostate health. The question is: what can you actually do about it at home, and when do you need to take things further?
This guide answers both.
First, Let’s Talk About Why Men Avoid This Conversation
Before we get into the practical steps, we need to address the elephant in the room.
Men don’t talk about health. Not really. We downplay symptoms. The doctor visits are pushed back. We tell ourselves we’re fine when our bodies are clearly telling us something different. And for many men — especially those raised to equate stoicism with strength — discussing anything related to the prostate feels deeply uncomfortable.
But avoiding the conversation has a cost. A deadly one.
According to NHS England data from 2024–2025, prostate cancer accounts for over 12,000 deaths annually in the UK. A lot of those deaths may have been stopped if they had been found earlier. The gap between when symptoms begin and when men seek help is, in many cases, years.
So if reading this feels uncomfortable, that’s okay. Read it anyway. Your life may depend on it.
What Is The Prostate And Why Is It Important?
The prostate is a small, walnut-sized gland that sits just below the bladder and surrounds the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body). Its primary job is to produce seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.
Because of where it sits, when the prostate becomes enlarged, inflamed, or cancerous, it directly affects urination, sexual function, and overall quality of life.
Prostate cancer develops when cells in the prostate gland start to grow abnormally. In most cases, it grows slowly — which is precisely why early detection matters so much. Catching it in those early stages, before it spreads beyond the prostate, gives you every advantage.
Can You Really Check for Prostate Cancer at Home?
Here’s something important to understand clearly: you cannot diagnose prostate cancer at home. No home test can do that. Diagnosis requires medical professionals, blood tests, imaging, and in some cases, a biopsy.
However — and this is critical — you can monitor yourself at home for the early warning signs that tell you it’s time to see a doctor. That’s exactly what this guide helps you do.
Don’t think of home monitoring as your last line of defence; think of it as your first line of awareness.
The Signs You Need to Know Right Now
Most early-stage prostate cancer produces no symptoms at all. That’s what makes it so dangerous.The cancer may have already gotten worse by the time symptoms show up. This is exactly why routine screening conversations with your GP matter so much, especially after age 50.
That said, when symptoms do appear, they often include:
Urinary changes — This is usually the first thing men notice. You might find yourself needing to urinate more frequently, especially at night (called nocturia). You might experience a weak or interrupted flow, difficulty starting urination, or a feeling that your bladder hasn’t fully emptied after you’ve finished.
Pain or burning during urination — This can indicate prostate inflammation (prostatitis) but should always be investigated.
Blood in urine or semen — This one should never be ignored. If you see blood in your urine or semen, contact your GP immediately.
Erectile dysfunction — While ED has many causes, new or worsening erectile dysfunction can sometimes be linked to prostate issues.
Discomfort in the pelvic area — Persistent pain or pressure in the lower back, hips, or pelvis, particularly if it’s new and unexplained, deserves attention.
Pain during ejaculation — This is less commonly discussed but is a symptom that should prompt a GP visit.
At home, your job is simple: notice these things and take them seriously. Keep a note on your phone if you notice changes. Track when symptoms began and how often they occur. That information will be valuable when you speak to a doctor.
Home Monitoring: A Practical Weekly Check-In
One of the most effective things you can do at home is build a simple self-monitoring habit. This takes less than two minutes and can make a real difference.
Once a week, ask yourself these questions:
Has my urination changed in any way this week? Is it more frequent, weaker, or more urgent than normal? Have I noticed any blood in my urine or semen? Am I experiencing any pelvic, hip, or lower back pain that I can’t attribute to exercise or an injury? Are there any changes in my sexual function?
If your answer is yes to any of these, don’t panic. Many of these symptoms have benign explanations. But do make a note, and if the symptoms persist for more than two weeks, book a GP appointment.
You can also track your urination patterns using a free bladder diary, available through the NHS website. Logging frequency, urgency, and flow can help your GP understand what’s happening and speed up your care pathway.
The PSA Test: What It Is and How to Access It in the UK
The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test is a blood test that measures levels of a protein produced by the prostate gland. Elevated PSA levels can indicate prostate cancer, but they can also be caused by a benign enlarged prostate, prostatitis, or even vigorous exercise before the test.
Here’s the important thing to know: in the UK, there is currently no national screening programme for prostate cancer. Unlike breast or bowel cancer screening, you won’t automatically receive an invitation. You have to ask for it.
Under the NHS Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme, any man over 50 who asks their GP for a PSA test is entitled to have one. If you’re Black British, your risk is significantly higher — Prostate Cancer UK data shows Black men are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer. If you’re Black and over 45, you should be having this conversation with your GP now.
Similarly, if you have a father or brother who has had prostate cancer, your risk is higher and you should discuss screening from age 45.
Getting a PSA test is free on the NHS. Just call your GP and enquire.
At-Home PSA Testing Kits: Are They Worth It?
In 2025, several companies in the UK now offer at-home PSA testing kits that you can order online and complete at home via a finger-prick blood test. The sample is then sent to a lab and results are usually returned within a few days.
These kits range in price from around £29 to £79 and are available from providers such as Superdrug Health, Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, and Medichecks.
Are they a good idea? Yes, with caveats.
At-home PSA tests can be a useful prompt for action, particularly for men who feel embarrassed to bring up the topic with their GP, or who face barriers accessing healthcare. However, they are not a replacement for medical advice. A high PSA result from a home test doesn’t mean you have cancer — and a normal result doesn’t mean everything is fine. What it does is give you a conversation starter with your GP.
If you use one of these kits, treat the result as information, not a diagnosis. Then take that information to a medical professional.
The Role of Lifestyle in Prostate Health
While you can’t control your age, ethnicity, or family history, you can take meaningful steps at home to support your prostate health and reduce your overall cancer risk.
Diet matters more than most men realise. Research from The World Cancer Research Fund consistently shows that men who eat a diet rich in vegetables — particularly tomatoes (which contain lycopene), cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids — show lower rates of aggressive prostate cancer. Reducing processed meat and dairy consumption is also associated with better prostate health outcomes.
Exercise actively protects you. According to Cancer Research UK, regular physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of several cancers, including prostate cancer. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. Walking counts. Cycling counts. Moving your body counts.
Excess weight increases risk. Obesity is associated with more aggressive variants of prostate cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight doesn’t eliminate your risk, but it significantly improves your overall health picture.
Alcohol and smoking both contribute to poorer cancer outcomes generally. Reducing both is one of the clearest, most evidence-based things you can do for your health.
The Emotional Side of Prostate Health: Let’s Be Honest
Getting tested for prostate cancer is scary. Receiving results — whether they’re normal or not — can be emotionally overwhelming. And navigating a diagnosis, even an early and treatable one, changes how you see yourself, your body, and your future.
Men are often expected to handle these things alone. To be strong. To not burden others. But that silence is part of what makes prostate cancer so deadly. Tests aren’t given to men who don’t talk about their health. This disease doesn’t show up early in men who don’t get checked. It’s harder for men who don’t get help early.
Talking about your health is not a weakness. You can do it the most forceful way.
According to a 2024 survey by Movember UK, over 60% of men said they would delay seeing a doctor even if they noticed a concerning symptom, because they didn’t want to “make a fuss” or feared what they might hear. That number needs to change. And it changes one conversation at a time.
When to See Your GP — And Don’t Wait
To summarise the signs that should prompt you to book a GP appointment without delay:
You’ve noticed changes in your urination lasting more than two weeks. You have noticed blood in your pee or semen at least once. Feeling pain in your pelvis or lower back that you can’t understand. You’re over 50 and have never had a PSA conversation with your GP. You’re Black or have a family history of prostate cancer and you’re over 45.
When you call your GP, say clearly: “I’d like to discuss my prostate health and potentially have a PSA test.” You are entitled to this conversation. Don’t minimise your symptoms. Don’t let anyone brush you off. Be your own advocate.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
The hardest part of looking after your health isn’t always the physical side. Often, it’s the mental and emotional weight — the fear, the uncertainty, the feeling that you should just get on with it and not make a fuss.
That’s exactly why communities like Men’s Prosperity Club exist.
Join Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham — A Free Space Built for Men Like You
The Men’s Prosperity Club is a free men’s mental health support space in Birmingham, dedicated to men seeking genuine peer support, personal growth and genuine community connection.
This isn’t just a group. It’s a movement.
At the Men’s Prosperity Club, we believe that vulnerability is a strength — not a weakness. We know that men carry enormous weight, often in silence, and that the simple act of speaking honestly with other men can change lives.
Through our unique walk-and-talk sessions, we get men moving and talking in the same breath — because sometimes it’s easier to open up when you’re side by side rather than face to face. Our horizontal leadership model means no hierarchy, no judgement, no gatekeeping. Every voice matters equally.
Whether you’re navigating a health scare, managing stress, dealing with relationship challenges, or simply looking for a space where you can show up as yourself, Men’s Prosperity Club is here for you.
✅ It’s free. ✅ No referral needed. ✅ No prior experience with therapy or support groups required. ✅ Just men, being real with each other.
Your health matters. Your mental health matters. And you deserve a community that reflects that.
👉 Take the first step today. Reach out to Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham and join a movement that is changing what it means to be a man in 2026.
Because checking in on your prostate health is important — but so is checking in on your mind.
Men’s Prosperity Club Birmingham — Peer Support | Personal Growth | Community Connection
For more information about prostate cancer, visit Prostate Cancer UK or speak to your NHS GP. If you are concerned about symptoms, do not delay — contact your GP directly.
