Experts warned the lost referrals could lead to thousands of delayed diagnoses and avoidable deaths.
NHS England data shows the number of patients urgently referred for the cancer fell by 28 per cent between April 2020 and January of this year - about 52,000 fewer.
The charity Prostate Cancer UK estimates at least 8,600 fewer men started treatment for prostate cancer in that time, down around a third on 2019.
It said the drop in referrals is largely attributed to fewer men seeing their GP during this time. Urgent cancer referrals are made when family doctors strongly suspect a patient may have the disease.
For example, separate NHS Digital figures show there have been 35million GP appointments over the course of the pandemic.
THE CORONAVIRUS vaccine has been hailed as a path back to normalcy, but are cancer patients as well protected from the virus as others receiving the jab?
This tiny camera can be swallowed by patients to check for cancer Credit: PA
Thousands of patients will be swallowing tiny cameras the size of a pill to check if they have bowel cancer.
The NHS is trialling the new technology, a colon capsule endoscopy, and it is expected to be able provide a cancer diagnosis within hours while patients go about their daily lives.
The capsule cameras, branded ingenious by an NHS boss will be a less invasive way of testing for bowel cancer, Crohn’s disease and other gastrointestinal problems.
Traditional endoscopies involve having a long, thin tube inserted into the body.
A HAWORTH man who has battled prostate cancer is taking on a mammoth challenge to boost a charity dedicated to funding research into the disease. John Brownless is aiming to walk 11,000 steps a day throughout this month in aid of Prostate Cancer UK. The challenge is part of the charity’s March the Month campaign. John, 58, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2004. He still has regular urology operations – to help flow and limit the risk of infection – and checks are carried out to ensure the cancer has not returned. “I decided to take on March the Month for Prostate Cancer UK because I am actively involved with the charity – having raised over £60,000 as an ambassador and volunteer,” said John.