MORE men in Dorset were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2022, new figures show.

New figures from NHS England show there were 973 men registered with prostate cancer in the NHS Dorset Integrated Care Board in 2022 – a 13 per cent increase on the year before.

Meanwhile, England saw a 26 per cent increase in diagnoses in 2022, with almost 55,000 new cases identified.

Prostate Cancer UK said the data vindicates its campaign to find the 'missing men' not getting checked, but warned many were still being diagnosed too late.

The figures also show men aged between 70 and 79 accounted for the largest proportion of prostate cancer diagnoses, with 40 per cent of all cases found in men between these ages.

This was also the case in Dorset, where 41 per cent of all cases were within this age range.

The data also shows significant inequalities across England – north central London had the highest rate of diagnoses, with 275 cases per 100,000 people, while Lancashire and South Cumbria had the lowest rate, at 177 per 100,000.

In Dorset there were 209 diagnoses per 100,000 people.

Claire Taylor, chief nursing officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said early diagnoses saves lives.

Prostate Cancer UK is also calling on the Government to update NHS guidelines that prevent GPs from proactively talking to men most at risk about their options – a move it says could save thousands of lives a year.

NHS national cancer director Dame Cally Palmer said the NHS was diagnosing more cancers and working to raise awareness.

Anyone concerned about prostate cancer can use Prostate Cancer UK's online risk checker at www.prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker, or visit www.macmillan.org.uk For more information.