Taking a ‘Man Van’ offering prostate cancer checks to shoppers and football fans could increase detection of the disease, leading experts have found.

A study found that giving men access to cancer screening in the places they go – such as shops and football clubs – encourages them to come for tests.

Men at high risk of prostate cancer, including black men and those in disadvantaged areas, can also be more easily targeted with a mobile van, which is cheaper than GP visits, experts said.

It comes after Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy, who has terminal cancer, urged men with a family history of the disease and those at high risk to see their GP early for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test ).

The charity Prostate Cancer UK advises that black men – who have twice the risk of the disease – or those with a family history of prostate cancer may want to talk to their GP about having a PSA test from the age of 45 years.

In the new study, experts wanted to address the fact that prostate cancer cases are detected later – when they are less treatable – in areas of high deprivation and in ethnic minority communities.

They sent a mobile ‘Man Van’ testing unit to target at-risk groups in London, working with local hospitals and community leaders to raise awareness.

The project successfully reached black men, who represented 16% of all van visitors, and detected more problematic cancers – 86% – compared to other screening studies (50%).

The researchers estimated that using the vans could be up to 25% less expensive than men visiting their GP for screening, with costs falling from £68.41 through the GP to £51.11 by van.

The Man Van project was developed by a group including the Institute of Cancer Research London (ICR) and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

The nurse-led van was stationed in seven London locations with ethnic minority communities and/or higher levels of deprivation, in places including a football club, a community centre, outside Ikea, a health center and a town hall.

Over 3,000 men visited Man Van over the course of a year.

Of the 94 prostate cancers detected by the PSA test, 81 (86%) were clinically significant, meaning treatment was likely needed to prevent disease progression.

In other screening studies, 50% of cancers detected are clinically significant, meaning men are at risk of being referred for unnecessary treatment.

In addition to the PSA test, men visiting the van were checked for blood pressure, body mass index and risk of diabetes, the men were told if they had diabetes or were at increased risk.

Researchers suggest the Man Van model – which combines education and awareness raising with health checks – should be introduced to the NHS.

The NHS already runs mobile testing units for other diseases, including lung cancer checks.

Dr. Masood Moghul, clinical researcher at the Royal Marsden and the ICR, said: “This is the first evidence-based evaluation of how mobile screening units could address health inequalities by reaching groups who have been diagnosed with cancer in a later stage, when it is more difficult to treat.

“The large number of black men we reached and the proportion of problematic but treatable prostate cancer we detected—in areas where typically 25 percent of men have incurable cancers—demonstrate the success of this targeted outreach model .”

Professor Nick James, also from Marsden and the ICR, said: “Diagnosing cancer early is so important because it is much easier to treat, but some cancers have no symptoms until they have grown for some time.

“It is disproportionately people from deprived areas and ethnic minorities who have cancer detected late, when it is more likely to be fatal.

“To detect these cancers early, we need to proactively help people by providing health checks.

“As the debate continues over the best way to screen for prostate cancer – one that won’t cause overtreatment or miss people with deadly cancer – we need to improve access to healthcare for those at higher risk illness.

“These results show that the Man Van is a very strong model that should be considered for wider use across the country.”

Jonathan Gordon, 55, from Shepperton, Middlesex, had aggressive cancer diagnosed via the van. His treatment was a success.

He said: “My dad had prostate cancer when he was in his 60s, but before I saw Man Van on the news I had no idea that meant I was at high risk.

“I immediately booked a test in the van… I went to Chelsea Football Club to have an appointment.

“If I hadn’t seen that Man Van ad on the news, I highly doubt I would have had a PSA test and I really don’t know where I would be now. It definitely saved my life.”

The UK National Screening Committee does not currently recommend a population-based screening program for prostate cancer using the PSA test, although it is conducting a review of the available evidence.

The PSA level can also be elevated due to conditions that are not cancer, such as urinary tract infections or a benign enlarged prostate. The PSA test can also miss some prostate cancers.