A leading surgeon is calling for a national prostate cancer screening programme to be introduced across the UK, pointing out that survival rates in Britain lag behind those seen in other parts of Europe.

New figures show that introducing a screening scheme similar to those already in place for breast and bowel cancer would lead to better results by detecting the disease at earlier, more treatable stages.

Professor Chris Booth, director of the men’s health charity CHAPS, said the data highlights an urgent need for a national screening programme that catches prostate cancer while it remains more curable.

These screening programmes are not causing unnecessary diagnoses, but are discovering significant numbers of cancers that could potentially be treated successfully.

The benefit is earlier identification, less chance of the cancer spreading, and ultimately more lives being saved.

Shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly has also backed the campaign to extend screening access.

He said catching the disease early not only prevents deaths but can also substantially enhance quality of life for patients.

Adopting a more precise and wide-ranging screening approach, particularly for individuals with a family history of prostate cancer, within the most at-risk age groups and among ethnic communities with higher incidence rates, is clearly the right thing to do.

He said he would press for national screening provisions to be included in the Conservative Party’s upcoming general election manifesto.