A new prostate cancer campaign for the thousands of "missing" men who don't know they have cancer has been launched by the NHS and the charity Prostate Cancer UK.
Men are being urged to contact their GP or use NHS services about prostate cancer - the most common cancer in men.
Findings show that prostate cancer referrals and treatments dropped significantly during the pandemic as many men have felt reluctant to "bother" their GP.
Prostate cancer is treatable if diagnosed early, so it's vital that cases are found quickly before cancer spreads.
The charity has created a risk checker - taking just 30 seconds - available here for men to carry out and share with friends and family.
For many, symptoms do not appear until the disease has already spread, so the charity is urging men to use its risk assessment tool.
Actor Stephen Fry and BBC presenter Bill Turnbull backed the campaign encouraging men to use the cancer checking tool.
More than 58,000 men - 14,000 fewer than expected pre-pandemic - in England have begun treatment for prostate cancer since the start of the pandemic, according to Prostate Cancer UK.
The charity said it was concerned that the number of "missing" patients would continue to grow.
Anyone who does experience symptoms, such as problems urinating or needing to go more often, should speak to their doctor to get checked.
The cancer is treatable if caught early, which is why the charity, along with NHS England, are working to find the "missing" patients.
Stephen Fry was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2017 after a routine health check.
Fry said: "As you can imagine, I was pretty knocked back when I received a diagnosis of prostate cancer, particularly as I had no symptoms to indicate anything was wrong - something I later learned is very common. Thankfully it was caught early, making it more treatable.
"That's why I'd urge you to check your risk and speak to your GP if you have any concerns - even if you feel completely well, as I did.
"Prostate Cancer UK's risk checker can help you understand your risk and the next steps to take."
The journalist Bill Turnbull was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018.
He said: "So much has been done to raise awareness of prostate cancer in recent years, and it's critical we don't lose any more ground because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Prostate cancer is so much more treatable when it's caught early, unfortunately mine wasn't. So if you're a man who's at risk of the disease or worried about prostate cancer, don't put off going to the doctor to talk about it.
"It's understandable that people haven't wanted to go to their GP during a pandemic, but the message is that the NHS is open and they want to see you. You can also find out more about your risk and what you can do about it by using the risk checker on Prostate Cancer UK's website."
Nicola Tallett, acting chief executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, but the pandemic has meant thousands of men have not come forward for diagnosis and could be missing out on lifesaving treatment.
"Although thousands of men are still being treated each month, if things don't change soon, the number of men missing out will continue to grow.
"Men have been telling us they haven't wanted to 'bother' their GP during the pandemic - particularly if they don't have any symptoms, which is the case for most men with early prostate cancer.
"This means men at higher risk of the disease are not having those vital conversations about their risk that can lead to a diagnosis."
Professor Peter Johnson, national clinical director for cancer for NHS England, said: "I urge you to use the Prostate Cancer UK risk checker today - it is a quick and easy way to understand your risk of prostate cancer and how you can take further action if you are at risk.
"The prognosis for the people we're yet to see will be much better the earlier we see them but we do need to see them as soon as possible.
"It's important men understand prostate cancer often doesn't show any symptoms at an early stage, so don't delay - check your risk now. The simple check could be lifesaving."
