WHILE I'm sure we all support and applaud Mr Hartley-Brown for his work with the local support group (‘Prostate screening “is falling on deaf ears”’, April 2), his comment that ‘if a man has prostate cancer it will kill him’ is not true, may cause unnecessary worry and may lead to unneeded treatment.

As a leading specialist recently said: ‘you are more likely to die WITH your prostate cancer than OF it’.

It’s usually slow-growing and won’t necessarily cause harm.

A recent US study has shown screening to have no difference to overall mortality rates. When you factor in the side effects of the treatments (impotence, incontinence and other problems), the case for blanket screening is further weakened.

Screening will often throw up cases where treatment is not necessary.

The preceding European study (which was pro-screening) had several authors who hold patents or get fees from screening tests. While prostate cancer can be a serious disease, blanket screening is not a clear-cut issue.

Anyone who wants to be screened needs to have a frank discussion with their GP and take on board the limitations of the procedure.

MIKE CHALKLEY Cowper Road, Bournemouth