Prostate Cancer

Lord Rogan Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Rogan (UUP)]

My Lords, I, too, thank the noble Lord, Lord Mott, for initiating this timely debate. Prostate cancer is now Northern Ireland’s most common cancer, and yet is the only major cancer without a national screening programme. According to the latest statistics, more than 1,300 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Northern Ireland, with almost 300 men in the Province dying annually from the disease. At present, more than 12,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer in Northern Ireland. I am one of them, as well as having several other medical conditions.

I am extremely grateful to the National Health Service in Belfast for the treatment I have received, and I pay particular tribute to the consultants, Mr Benson, Miss McBride and Miss Shum, for enabling me to be with you here this evening. While we do not have a national PSA screening programme, it must be pointed out that that exists in some countries, including Lithuania and the Czech Republic, with many other nations, including the Republic of Ireland, conducting pilot schemes. That said, men living in the UK aged 50 and over can request a PSA test through their GP.

In recent weeks, former news presenter Dermot Murnaghan, who was educated in Northern Ireland, went public with his own stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis. He said that, in the continued absence of a screening programme, he would advise men of a certain age to “go and demand it”. I fully endorse that call.

Mr Murnaghan is planning to join six-time Olympic cycling gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy, who was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer two years ago, on a charity bike ride to raise money for the cancer charities and raise awareness. I wish both men well with their heroic endeavours and with their treatment.