Friday 25 September 2026
Internal Reference Number: FOI_9389
Date Request Received: 07/05/2026 00:00:00
Date Request Replied To: 27/05/2026 00:00:00
This response was sent via: By Email
Request Summary: Prostate Specific Antigen - suspected prostate cancer referral thresholds
Request Category: Private Individuals
| Question Number 1: Do you have a Urology department who see suspected prostate cancer patients referred from the community? | |
| Answer To Question 1: Yes | |
| Question Number 2: What criteria are used to triage (Accept or Reject) referrals from the community, for patients with suspected prostate cancer, including Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) thresholds and Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) for asymptomatic patients? Please include specific PSA levels used as well as any other criteria | |
| Answer To Question 2: The Trust see patients with a raised PSA level - the levels vary to a degree depending on age, source of referral and so on but the referring GP Practices can confirm as they use a variety of different forms depending on the region (Hants, Wilts, Dorset and military). We also see patients with an abnormal feeling prostate on rectal examination if the PSA is normal or abnormal. We don't typically discriminate between what is termed symptomatic and asymptomatic in the question as, for the vast majority, patients with symptoms of prostate cancer (bone pain, weight loss etc) present with late stage disease but some with late stage disease don't have symptoms. Conversely, most patients with urinary symptoms have benign enlargement of the prostate rather than cancer, but not all. Essentially symptoms can be very difficult to interpret on their own so we take an inclusive and open approach to seeing patients referred with suspected cancer. | |
| Question Number 3: What criteria are used to triage (Accept or Reject) referrals from the community, for patients with suspected prostate cancer, including PSA thresholds and DRE for symptomatic patients? Please include specific PSA levels used as well as any other criteria | |
| Answer To Question 3: Please see answer to question 2. | |
| Question Number 4: How does your service define symptomatic and asymptomatic for suspected prostate cancer referrals? | |
| Answer To Question 4: Please see answer to question 2. | |
| Question Number 5: Do you apply different thresholds or criteria for higher-risk groups (e.g. Black men, men with family history)? | |
| Answer To Question 5: The Trust do not specifically apply different thresholds in the presence or absence of a high-risk group status but do have an added level of suspicion for those patients and take this into consideration and discuss this with the individual patient. | |
| Question Number 6: For the calendar year 2025: a. How many patients were referred on the suspected prostate cancer pathway? b. Of these, how many were classified by the referrer (or by your triage) as asymptomatic? c. How many were classified as symptomatic? | |
| Answer To Question 6: a. 746 patients referred in 2025 b and c. Unable to answer as this information is not recorded in our electronic cancer register system at the point of referral receipt. | |
| Question Number 7: For the same period, how many referred patients had their 2WW referral rejected? Please break this down, if possible, by: a) Asymptomatic vs symptomatic b) Rejected primarily due to PSA level below threshold | |
| Answer To Question 7: Unable to answer as we do not record referrals that are rejected (only accepted), therefore we are unable to count how many of these we have had. | |
| Question Number 8: Please provide a copy of your suspected prostate cancer referral form for both asymptomatic and symptomatic patients? | |
| Answer To Question 8: The Trust does not have a standard referral template that the referrers use. You would need to ask the referrers (e.g. GP Practices in Hants, Wilts, Dorset and military) for a copy of theirs. | |
| To return to the list of all the FOI requests please click here |
Our staff at Salisbury District Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment they provide for our patients and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. This has been recognised in a wide range of achievements and it is reflected in our award of NHS Foundation Trust status. This is afforded to hospitals that provide the highest standards of care.
