A recent prostate cancer survey conducted by The Focal Therapy Clinic reveals significant gaps in men’s understanding of prostate cancer symptoms, screening, and available treatments. Many respondents reported limited knowledge of how the disease develops and how it is detected. The findings highlight the need for improved education so men can recognise risks earlier and make informed decisions about their care.
March marks Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, making it an important time to reflect on how much men know about the disease. The prostate cancer survey gathered responses from 243 patients who had received treatment at The Focal Therapy Clinic. The results reveal that many men only learned key information about the condition after their diagnosis.
A large proportion of respondents did not realise that prostate cancer may develop silently. Nearly half of those surveyed were unaware that the disease can progress without symptoms. This reinforces the importance of screening and early detection, which can allow men to access less invasive treatments such as focal therapy.
Key Takeaways
- A survey of 243 prostate cancer patients revealed major knowledge gaps about symptoms, screening, and treatment options before diagnosis.
- Nearly half (46%) of respondents were unaware that prostate cancer can develop without noticeable symptoms.
- Many men had limited understanding of prostate health: 69% reported poor knowledge of the prostate’s function, and 40% had little understanding of PSA testing.
- Awareness of treatment options was also low, with 31% having no knowledge of treatments and 93% unaware of focal therapy before diagnosis.
- The findings suggest that better education and earlier screening discussions could help detect cancer sooner and expand access to less invasive treatment options.
- Experts emphasise the need for “smart, personalised screening” and clearer information so men can recognise risks early and make informed decisions about their care.
Knowledge of prostate cancer before diagnosis
The prostate cancer survey revealed that many men had limited understanding of the disease before their diagnosis. Awareness of screening, symptoms, and prostate function was often low. These knowledge gaps can delay diagnosis and reduce opportunities for early treatment.
Almost half of respondents said they did not know that prostate cancer may develop without physical warning signs. Many also lacked a clear understanding of how screening works or when to seek medical advice.
Key findings from the survey include:
| Awareness Before Diagnosis | Result |
| Unaware cancer may develop with no symptoms | 46% |
| Poor understanding of what the prostate does | 69% |
| Had never had routine check-ups before diagnosis | 35% |
| Had little or no understanding of PSA testing | 40% |
| Thought a rectal exam was the main prostate cancer test | 31% |
Many respondents said they had only a limited understanding of the prostate before diagnosis. Eleven percent said they did not know what the prostate is, while others said they had heard of it but did not understand its role. Understanding the function of the prostate helps men recognise potential health changes and know when to seek advice.
Knowledge of screening tests was also limited. Some men believe that a rectal examination is the primary diagnostic test, even though blood screening and imaging play a larger role in detection. A simple test can measure prostate-specific antigen levels and help identify potential concerns earlier.
Many patients reported that they did not recognise early symptoms or risk factors before diagnosis. Some cancers develop quietly without noticeable warning signs. Men often only seek advice once a condition spreads to nearby tissues or organs, which can make treatment more complex.
The findings also show that routine medical visits remain important. Regular discussions with a doctor can help men understand risk factors and ask relevant urologist questions about screening and prevention. Access to clear information and ongoing support can help families recognise warning signs sooner.
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Mr Marc Laniado, Consultant Urologist at The Focal Therapy Clinic
Mr Marc Laniado, Consultant Urologist at The Focal Therapy Clinic, highlighted the importance of education in improving early detection.
“Education about prostate cancer helps men and their families understand risk, recognise problems early, and feel confident about when to seek help rather than just keeping their fingers crossed. Screening smartly, that is, testing men at risk when they can benefit, with the right tests, can catch aggressive cancers early when they’re highly curable with less side effects, while avoiding unnecessary tests, biopsies and anxiety for those at low risk.”
The prostate cancer survey also explored how well men understood prostate anatomy and function before diagnosis. Most respondents said their knowledge was limited or incomplete. Only a small number reported feeling very confident in their understanding of the prostate.
These findings highlight how important education is for men and their families. Clear information can help people understand how prostate cancer develops and how it is monitored. Better awareness may encourage men to speak with healthcare professionals earlier and ask about screening.
Knowledge of Prostate Cancer Treatment and Options
The prostate cancer survey also examined how much men knew about treatment options before their diagnosis. Many respondents said they had little understanding of available treatments or how doctors choose between them. This suggests that treatment discussions often begin only after diagnosis.
Almost one third of men said they had no knowledge of prostate cancer treatments before they were diagnosed. Only a very small number reported having a good understanding of possible therapies. Awareness was particularly low among men aged between 55 and 64.
The survey also revealed limited awareness of newer treatment approaches. A large majority of respondents had never heard of focal therapy before being diagnosed.
| Treatment Awareness | Result |
| No knowledge of treatment options before diagnosis | 31% |
| Good understanding of treatments | 6% |
| Unaware of focal therapy as a treatment | 93% |
Patients were asked which treatments they were offered after diagnosis. The responses suggest that less invasive options are not always consistently discussed with eligible patients.
| Treatment Offered | Percentage of Patients |
| Hormones or chemotherapy | 30% |
| Watchful waiting | 30% |
| Active surveillance | 28% |
| Focal therapy | 28% |
| Hormone therapy with radiotherapy | 5% |
| Surgery | 3% |
Some men may benefit from treatments that target only the cancerous part of the gland rather than the entire prostate. Options such as Nanoknife and HIFU are designed to treat localised tumours while preserving surrounding healthy tissue. These approaches may help reduce the risk of complications compared with more extensive procedures.
Understanding how doctors assess the severity of prostate cancer is also important. Specialists often use tools such as imaging scans and biopsy results to determine a patient’s gleason score. This information helps guide decisions about appropriate treatment and monitoring.
Mr Marc Laniado, Consultant Urologist at The Focal Therapy Clinic
Mr Marc Laniado commented on the findings of the prostate cancer survey and the importance of improving awareness.
“These findings are a real wake-up call. Too many men still do not realise that prostate cancer can grow quietly without any symptoms, and more than nine in ten in this survey had never heard of focal therapy as a gentler treatment option.
“I want men, especially those in their 50s and those at higher risk, to come forward earlier for smart, personalised screening using PSA and risk assessment so we can catch cancers when there is still a choice of less invasive treatments. For carefully selected men, focal therapy can offer good early cancer control with fewer side effects. However, we acknowledge that the very long-term data are still developing, and some men may require more extensive treatment, but this is still possible after focal therapy.”
“With better education and clearer information, men can act sooner, understand this staged pathway, and choose the approach that best fits their cancer and their quality-of-life priorities.”
Methodology:
The prostate cancer survey was conducted by The Focal Therapy Clinic to understand men’s knowledge and beliefs about prostate cancer before diagnosis. A total of 243 patients responded to the survey. All respondents were men living in the United Kingdom who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Participants represented a range of age groups. Twenty-three percent were aged 55–64, forty-four percent were aged 65–74, thirty percent were aged 75 or older, and three percent were aged 54 or younger. The survey was conducted during November 2025.
The excel sheet and the word document both say 46%, but the word document then goes on to say “Over half of the patients surveyed revealed that before their diagnosis they weren’t aware that prostate cancer can present with no physical symptoms – 54% in total”
Word document states “and nearly 1 in 3 (31%) mistakenly thought the rectal exam was the main prostate cancer test” but I cannot find this in the excel sheet. The only matching statistic I can see is “No knowledge – I didn’t know what treatments were available” at 31.28%
