BBC Learning English News

2025-08-13 Is prostate cancer over-treated? – Learning English from the News

The story

The charity Prostate Cancer UK, says that the UK is treating too many patients for prostate cancer where the cancer is unlikely to cause harm. This is because sometimes the cancer grows very slowly.

According to the charity, around one in four cases could be monitored instead of treated, allowing patients to avoid harmful side effects of treatment.

The charity has criticised current guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, known as NICE. NICE says it’s reviewing this guidance.

Prostate Cancer UK says that there should be a greater focus on screening, which is widespread testing, so that the illness can be spotted at an earlier stage.

News headlines

Outdated guidance’ sees thousands at risk of prostate cancer ‘overtreatment’
LBC

Swindon research raises concerns over prostate cancer treatment contradictions
Greatest Hits Radio 

Harmful: Thousands of men given ‘unneccesary’ prostate cancer treatment every year due to ‘wild west’ guidelines
The Sun

Key words and phrases

outdated
not useful anymore

  • We need to replace the outdated machines in our factory.

contradiction
statements or facts that are opposed to each other

  • There was a contradiction between what the witnesses and defendants said in court.

wild west
a situation with little control or regulation

  • My friend invested in cryptocurrencies, but it turned out to be a scam. It’s a wild west sector.
BBC Learning English

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