The Prostate Cancer Foundation is warning men not to rely on at-home PSA testing kits as a substitute for medical advice, saying the tests can create false reassurance or unnecessary anxiety if results are misunderstood.
The warning comes as prostate cancer returns to public attention following Jeremy Clarkson’s recent announcement about his diagnosis and treatment. The Foundation says increased awareness is welcome, but men need clear, clinically guided information before making decisions about testing.
Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ Chief Executive Peter Dickens says home PSA tests may appear convenient, private and affordable, but prostate cancer screening is more complex than a single result.
The Foundation says PSA testing should be interpreted alongside a person’s age, family history, ethnicity, prostate size, medication use, existing health conditions and previous PSA results. Without that wider clinical context, a home test may give a misleading picture of a person’s actual risk.
The warning follows the Government’s decision not to fund a prostate cancer screening pilot in Budget 2026.
The Foundation says it is deeply disappointed, arguing that New Zealand continues to delay a structured approach to early detection despite prostate cancer being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men.
Around 4,500 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Aotearoa every year, averaging about 12 diagnoses a day. Around 740 men die from the disease annually, making it the second highest cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer.
The Foundation is concerned that without a national screening pathway, some men may turn to home testing kits or direct-to-consumer services instead of seeking advice from their GP.
A PSA blood test can be an important first step in assessing prostate cancer risk, but the Foundation says it should not be used in isolation.
A normal result does not always mean a man is free from clinically significant prostate cancer. At the same time, a mildly elevated result can cause unnecessary worry and lead to further investigations that may not be needed.
The Foundation says unsupervised testing can increase harm if men do not receive proper information about false positives, false negatives, over-diagnosis and over-treatment.
It is also concerned that some home testing products may rely on PSA thresholds that no longer reflect modern best practice. Current approaches increasingly consider age-adjusted risk, family history, genetic factors and follow-up investigations rather than relying on a single number.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation encourages men to discuss PSA testing with their doctor from age 50.
Men with close male relatives who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer are encouraged to have that conversation from age 45.
Men who know or believe they carry the BRCA2 gene mutation, or who have a strong family history of prostate, breast or ovarian cancer or Lynch Syndrome, are encouraged to speak with their doctor from age 40.
The Foundation also notes that prostate cancer can affect transgender women, male-assigned non-binary people and intersex people.
Early detection remains one of the most effective tools for improving outcomes.
The Foundation says 61 percent of prostate cancer survivors had no symptoms when they were diagnosed, highlighting why relying on symptoms alone is not enough.
The message to whānau is clear: do not ignore the issue, but do not navigate it alone.
A conversation with a GP remains the best first step for understanding personal risk, deciding whether PSA testing is appropriate and ensuring any result is followed up properly.
The Foundation says New Zealand needs a properly funded, evidence-based screening programme, rather than greater reliance on stand-alone testing options that leave men to interpret results by themselves.
Until that happens, it is urging men and whānau to seek medical guidance, ask questions early and make informed decisions about prostate health.
