by Josh Forman, Head of Science, Education & Outreach
June is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month — and this year, I feel especially compelled to speak up.
We know that men are less likely than women to go to the doctor when something isn’t right. There are many possible explanations for this, but to be honest with you, they don’t matter. What does matter, is that we, as men, normalise and become comfortable communicating when something isn’t right and we need help.
Men suffer disproportionately in a number of areas – not because men are more likely to get ill than women, but because we don’t seek help as quickly. This makes any problem harder to solve. Mental health in men has been a focus recently, and rightly so, but it isn’t the only health condition that men avoid dealing with.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with over 55,000 diagnoses every year — that’s one man every 10 minutes. In England alone, it accounts for over a quarter of new cancer cases in men.
The positive news? When detected early, prostate cancer is one of the most treatable cancers.
The challenge? Many men either don’t recognise the signs, delay seeing their GP, or aren’t even aware that they could be at risk — especially when symptoms are absent in the early stages. This is why action, and early action, is so vital.
Beyond age and lifestyle factors, there is another crucial risk many still don’t know about: genetics.
BRCA Isn’t Just a Women’s Issue
Most people associate BRCA gene mutations with breast cancer — understandably so. It is named after breast cancer and was discovered due to its association with breast cancer. Knowledge and understanding have continued to develop, and we now know that BRCA has a much broader impact than originally thought. However, this common perception persists and leaves a significant gap in awareness.
BRCA mutations affect men, too — in very real, and sometimes life-threatening, ways.
Men with a BRCA2 mutation face a considerably higher risk of developing prostate cancer, and it often appears younger and more aggressively than in the general population. That risk isn’t theoretical — it’s personal, especially within the Jewish community and those of Jewish ancestry, where BRCA mutations are up to 10 times more common.
As someone with Jewish heritage, this hits close to home.
That’s why the NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme is so important — and why I’m proud that Jnetics, alongside Chai Cancer Care, is the engagement partner for this pioneering initiative. The programme offers free BRCA testing for eligible Jewish individuals in England. To be able to access this programme, you need to have at least 1 Jewish grandparent, be over 18 and living in England. It’s designed to identify those at higher genetic risk so that steps can be taken — early, proactively, and with full knowledge of the options.
It is the first programme of its kind in the world, and the first to include men.
Why It Matters
We often talk about “awareness” during campaigns like this. But awareness only gets us so far.
What really changes outcomes is action.
- If you’re a man over 50, talk to your GP about PSA screening.
- If you have Jewish ancestry, even partially, consider your BRCA risk.
- And if you’re eligible for testing, take that step today.
Register now for free BRCA screening at www.jewishbrca.org
Knowing your BRCA status doesn’t mean panic — it means power. It means knowing your risk and taking charge of your health, potentially years before symptoms might appear. It means protecting not only yourself but your children and your siblings as well.
This isn’t just about prostate cancer. It’s about breaking the silence around men’s health, reframing genetic risk as a tool, and equipping ourselves with the knowledge to act before a diagnosis ever comes.
So this month, I’m encouraging conversations.
With our dads, our brothers, our partners, our sons. Let’s talk about prostate cancer. Let’s rethink BRCA. Let’s use the tools now available to us — and make them count. Men can learn a lot from the way women talk about health. Breast cancer awareness has become a powerful example of how open conversations, shared experiences, and routine screening can lead to earlier diagnoses, better outcomes, and stronger support networks. It’s time for men to take a similar approach — to speak more openly about prostate cancer, to normalise screening, and to support one another in prioritising health without stigma or silence.
Because when it comes to cancer, knowledge isn’t just power. It’s protection. It’s prevention. And sometimes, it’s a second chance.
