On November 21, 2025, a new chapter in the fight against prostate cancer quietly began in the United Kingdom. The first invitations were sent out for men to join the £42 million TRANSFORM trial, a massive, government-backed study that promises to revolutionize how prostate cancer is detected and, hopefully, save thousands of lives each year. For survivors like Dennis Briggs from Shropshire, who has spent years urging men to get tested, this is more than just a scientific milestone—it’s a sign of hope and progress long overdue.
Briggs, himself a survivor, knows firsthand how critical early detection can be. Diagnosed after a surgery to remove a urethral blockage, he recalls, “Within six weeks I was in hospital, had it done, and was out again.” But he’s quick to point out that many men aren’t so lucky. “When a lot of men produce themselves at the doctors with prostate cancer, it’s usually too late, it needs to be caught early so it can be treated earlier,” he told BBC News. That urgency has driven his work with the Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group, which has already tested over a thousand men this year alone.
The TRANSFORM trial, announced by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting and funded by both the government and Prostate Cancer UK, is the largest prostate cancer screening study launched in more than two decades. According to The Daily Mail, the trial’s first stage will recruit 16,000 men, with plans to eventually involve as many as 300,000 participants. “Today marks a turning point for prostate cancer care in this country, as the first men are invited to take part in this game-changing trial,” Streeting declared, underscoring the government’s commitment to genuine change in men’s health.
What sets TRANSFORM apart from previous screening efforts is its multi-pronged approach. Traditional prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests, while widely available for men over 50, have long been criticized for their lack of reliability—sometimes missing dangerous cancers or flagging harmless ones. This trial, however, combines PSA tests with rapid MRI scans and genetic spit tests (which extract DNA from saliva), hoping to dramatically improve accuracy and minimize unnecessary treatments. “We need something that’s right down to the point and can say you’ve got prostate cancer, it doesn’t need treating or it does need treating,” Briggs emphasized, echoing the hopes of countless men across the UK.
Men aged 50 to 74 will be eligible for the trial, with a lower age limit of 45 for Black men, who statistically face twice the risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer compared to white men. Recruitment will mirror how a national screening program might operate, with GPs inviting eligible men directly. The first tests are already underway at InHealth’s community diagnostic centre in Ealing, and more sites are expected to join soon.
The scale of the TRANSFORM project is staggering. With £16 million coming from the National Institute for Health and Care Research and £26 million from Prostate Cancer UK, the trial will not only compare the effectiveness of different screening combinations but also create the largest bank of prostate cancer samples, images, and data ever assembled in the UK. “The start of recruitment for the Transform trial marks a major milestone in prostate cancer research,” said Professor Lucy Chappell, chief scientific adviser at the Department of Health and Social Care, according to The Daily Mail.
Professor Hashim Ahmed, chief investigator and professor of urology at Imperial College London, called the trial “truly game-changing.” He explained, “As the biggest and most ambitious trial I’ve ever been part of, the start of recruitment today marks a pivotal step towards getting the results men urgently need to make prostate cancer diagnosis safe and more effective so that we can unlock the potential of prostate cancer screening in the UK.” Ahmed is optimistic that by harnessing the latest screening techniques—fast MRI scans, PSA blood tests, and genetic tests—the study can minimize late diagnoses, save lives, and reduce unnecessary harm. Importantly, the design of TRANSFORM allows for the rapid evaluation of promising new tests as soon as they’re developed, ensuring the research remains at the cutting edge.
For the 63,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the UK—and the 12,000 who die from it—these advances cannot come soon enough. The trial is also timely, as the UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing the latest evidence on prostate cancer screening and is expected to report its findings later this year. A recent study found that screening can reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer by 13%, with one death prevented for every 456 men checked. TRANSFORM aims to build on this foundation, potentially shifting the evidence in favor of a national screening program within the next two years.
Laura Kerby, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, captured the sense of anticipation and collective effort driving this initiative: “The future of prostate cancer screening starts today. It’s incredible to see the launch of this once-in-a-generation trial that so many people have worked to make possible, from our scientists to our amazing supporters raising funds. Now we need the public to stand up and be part of it. The men signing up for the study, and the people who donate to keep it running, will have the power to help save thousands of lives each year in the UK and even hundreds of thousands globally.”
The government has also announced new measures as part of its Men’s Health Strategy, including allowing men to book blood tests via the NHS App from the comfort of their own homes. This digital convenience, combined with the trial’s innovative screening methods, could make early detection far more accessible—particularly for high-risk groups such as Black men or those with a family history of the disease.
For Dennis Briggs and the countless men he’s helped through the Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group, the hope is that annual checks after a certain age will soon become the norm. “If we can find a way of getting men annually checked after a certain age, it would be a brilliant way to go,” Briggs said, looking ahead to a future where fewer men have to face the uncertainty and fear that once shadowed his own diagnosis.
As the TRANSFORM trial gets underway, there’s a palpable sense that the UK is on the brink of a new era in prostate cancer care—one where earlier, safer, and more effective diagnosis isn’t just a dream, but a rapidly approaching reality.
