LivingCare Group named proposed partner for prostate cancer early detection programme

LivingCare Group has been selected as the proposed imaging partner for the IMProVE clinical trial, a prostate cancer early detection programme funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research.

The study, which is due to begin in January 2027, will assess whether a combined approach using blood tests and MRI scans can improve early detection of prostate cancer and be implemented without increasing health inequalities.

There is currently no routine national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK, with testing typically offered only on request for men over 50 or those considered at higher risk.

The IMProVE trial will recruit 4,500 participants across Leeds and Sheffield. Initial blood tests will identify men with raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, with higher-risk participants referred for MRI imaging and onward clinical care. An optional research component will also explore polygenic risk scoring, although this will not influence clinical management within the trial.

LivingCare Group will deliver prostate MRI scans at its clinics in Leeds and Sheffield, using 3T MRI scanners. It is expanding MRI and biopsy capacity and recruiting additional clinical staff, including two healthcare specialists and a urologist, to support the programme.

Dr Stephen Feldman, founder and director, LivingCare Group, said: ‘Late diagnosis and ongoing misconceptions around testing remain two of the most significant challenges in prostate cancer care. The IMProVE trial marks a significant step forward in improving early detection, strengthening diagnostic pathways and ultimately patient outcomes.’

The trial is led by Professor James Catto, professor of urology at University of Sheffield and honorary consultant urological surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. It is sponsored by the University of Sheffield and coordinated by the Cancer Prevention Trials Unit at Queen Mary University of London.

‘We don’t yet know the most effective way to screen men for prostate cancer. The trial will explore the perspectives of high-risk groups, including black men and men from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, on prostate cancer and screening participation barriers,’ said Catto.

Dr Stuart Griffiths, director of research, policy and impact at Yorkshire Cancer Research, said confirming imaging arrangements was a key step in delivering the study.

‘Robust, consistent imaging will play a vital role in understanding how best to detect prostate cancer earlier and more accurately.’

More than 4,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in Yorkshire, with disparities in diagnosis and outcomes compared with other parts of England. The trial will assess how screening approaches could be introduced without widening these gaps.