It is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer, claiming 10,000 lives a year, but it seems that many men are still not getting tested for prostate cancer.

Now there is a new team bringing the subject into the open and urging men to make positive steps to beat the disease. ‘Men United’ is the brainchild of Prostate Cancer UK, urging men to help themselves in the fight against the disease.

Whether it is fundraising, campaigning for better health or encouraging men to get tested, Men United aims to get prostate cancer to the top of the league when it comes to health issues.

As part Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, running throughout March, consultant urologist John McLoughlin is urging men to ‘take the test’.

Mr McLoughlin, a consultant urologist at BMI St Edmunds Hospital, said: “I know that many men feel embarrassed about the idea of a prostate examination; sometimes to such a degree that it puts them off seeing a doctor.

“We have to encourage people to get over this fear. I can assure everyone that doctors will understand their feelings and that the examination is a relatively quick and simple one.”

“If you find yourself having to get up at night more often, repeatedly, you should certainly see your doctor and ask for a test, but bear in mind that your symptoms are more likely to be caused by non-cancerous prostate enlargement. A digital rectal examination (DRE) is recommended if the PSA result is above average and is the ‘next step’ in checking the individual’s risk of prostate cancer because your doctor can assess whether your prostate feels normal or hard and damaged in any way. The good news is that survival rates are extremely good if your prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated early, which is why the test is so important.”