Institute of Cancer Research Helps Drive Landmark National Trial Aiming to Transform Early Prostate Cancer Detection

Institute of Cancer Research Helps Drive Landmark National Trial Aiming to Transform Early Prostate Cancer Detection

(IN BRIEF) The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has announced the launch of the £42 million TRANSFORM trial, the UK’s largest prostate cancer screening study in more than 20 years. The first men have now been invited by their GPs to participate in the trial, which will test a combination of PSA blood tests, saliva-based genetic analysis and fast MRI scans to identify the safest and most effective screening method. Led by six of the world’s foremost prostate cancer researchers and supported by Prostate Cancer UK and the NIHR, the trial aims to deliver earlier, more accurate and more equitable diagnosis. A key focus is addressing inequalities affecting Black men, who face double the risk of prostate cancer; at least 10% of participants will be Black men. Up to 300,000 men will ultimately be involved, creating the country’s largest prostate cancer data resource. Government leaders, researchers and patient advocates have welcomed the trial as a turning point in prostate cancer detection and future national screening policy.

(PRESS RELEASE) LONDON, 21-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, today marked a historic moment in men’s health as the first invitations were issued to men across the UK to join the £42 million TRANSFORM screening trial — the most ambitious prostate cancer screening study launched in more than a generation. Bringing together world-leading expertise, the trial will evaluate the most advanced and promising screening methods available, including a saliva-based genetic test, to determine the safest, most accurate and most cost-effective approach to detecting prostate cancer early.

TRANSFORM is co-led by six internationally renowned prostate cancer researchers, among them Professor Ros Eeles, Professor of Oncogenetics at the ICR and Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Cancer Genetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. The study is being delivered in partnership with the NHS through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which has committed £16 million, with £26 million funded by Prostate Cancer UK.

Beginning today, eligible men across the country will receive GP letters inviting them to take part in the trial — which will test combinations of PSA blood tests, genetic saliva tests, and fast MRI scans in ways that have never been evaluated at scale. The aim is to dramatically improve early detection, reduce the number of missed aggressive cancers, and ensure safer, more effective diagnostic pathways for all men.

The launch comes shortly before the UK National Screening Committee publishes its latest review of evidence on prostate cancer screening. While the current evidence base is limited, TRANSFORM pushes far beyond earlier studies and will provide robust new findings that could influence national screening policy within as little as two years, especially if the NSC determines that more evidence is required before recommending a national programme.

Tackling long-standing inequalities in prostate cancer

A major objective of TRANSFORM is to address significant longstanding disparities in diagnosis. Black men face twice the risk of both developing and dying from prostate cancer than other men, yet have historically been under-represented in clinical research. To ensure future evidence benefits those most at risk, the trial requires that at least one in ten participants will be Black men, supported by targeted outreach in partnership with Black community leaders and organisations nationwide.

Building the UK’s most comprehensive prostate cancer data resource

The first 16,000 men recruited will form the trial’s initial phase, comparing new diagnostic combinations with current NHS practice. Approaches that prove most effective will then be tested in up to 300,000 men, creating the biggest prostate cancer screening study undertaken in more than two decades. This scale will also enable the creation of the UK’s largest-ever repository of samples, images, and clinical data — a vital resource for future test and treatment development.

Recruitment begins today for men aged 50–74, or 45–74 for groups at higher risk, including Black men. The first testing centre to open is the InHealth Community Diagnostic Centre in Ealing, with more sites launching across the UK. Participation mirrors how a future national screening programme would function: men cannot volunteer but must be invited by their GP.

The study is led jointly by Professor Ros Eeles (ICR), Professor Hashim Ahmed (Imperial College London), Professor Mark Emberton (University College London), Professor Rhian Gabe (Queen Mary University of London), Professor Rakesh Heer (Imperial College London), and Professor Caroline Moore (University College London), supported by sixteen additional co-applicants across the UK.

Expert perspectives on the trial launch

Professor Ros Eeles, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:
“We now know of more than 400 inherited genetic variants associated with prostate cancer across diverse populations. TRANSFORM is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to test genetic markers at unprecedented scale, helping identify men at highest risk of aggressive cancer while sparing those at low risk unnecessary biopsies and treatments. Seeing the trial launch today brings us significantly closer to a future where prostate cancer diagnosis is safer, earlier, and more equitable.”

Laura Kerby, Chief Executive of Prostate Cancer UK, commented:
“This is the start of a new era in prostate cancer screening. The trial is the result of years of work from scientists, fundraisers and partners. With the NIHR investing £16 million, and with extraordinary support from donors and founding partners, this is a moment of real hope. The men taking part — and those who help fund the trial — have the potential to save thousands of lives each year.”

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser at DHSC and CEO of the NIHR, said:
“The beginning of recruitment marks a major milestone. There is an urgent need for a robust and effective screening programme that properly includes Black men, who face double the risk. This landmark trial will provide the evidence needed to identify the safest and most effective way to screen men across the country.”

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, added:
“One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer — and that risk doubles for Black men. Today is a turning point as the first invitations go out for this game-changing trial. We will carefully consider the National Screening Committee’s recommendations as we push to transform men’s health, backed by new innovations such as allowing men to book a blood test through the NHS App.”

A patient’s perspective

Steve Kavanagh, 64, from Hampshire, who was diagnosed in 2023, said:
“My cancer was almost missed. TRANSFORM is essential because it’s not only about PSA tests — it’s about finding the best method to ensure cancers aren’t overlooked. If you get an invitation, take part. It could save your life.”

At £42 million, TRANSFORM is the largest research investment ever made by Prostate Cancer UK. The trial has been made possible thanks to the support of seven Founding Partners: Cockburn Shaw Legacy; Freddie Green and Family Charitable Foundation; Garfield Weston Foundation; Movember; NIHR; Omaze; and Paddy Power.

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email: mediaoffice@icr.ac.uk

SOURCE: The Institute of Cancer Research