Dr Elon Thompson urges Jamaican men over 40 to screen for prostate cancer

Summary

Dr Elon Thompson urged Jamaican men aged 40 and older to undergo routine prostate cancer screening as deaths and missed cases rise.Jamaica Star +2
Thompson said PSA screening is available through the NHF and should be followed by treatment and ongoing care.Jamaica Observer +2
Howard Lawrence said annual screening detected his cancer early in 2024, before the disease worsened.Jamaica Observer
Dr Floyd Morris said myths about prostate cancer are discouraging some men from being screened.Jamaica Observer

Automatically summarised from the coverage below.

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Coverage

Sep 29, 2026

‘Screening is inexpensive compared to treatment’

Banker Howard Lawrence says yearly prostate screenings from age 40 helped catch his cancer early in 2024, allowing him to get treatment before the disease worsened. He also relied on critical illness insurance to cover costly care, highlighting how early detection and financial protection can reduce the medical and economic burden on Jamaican families.

Sep 28, 2026

Feeling well is not a measure of good health – Dr Elon Thompson

Government Senator Dr Elon Thompson urged Jamaican men to get screened for prostate cancer, warning that feeling well does not mean they are healthy and that many cases are being missed. He said 809 men died from prostate cancer in 2024, up from 716 in 2023, and pushed routine PSA testing for men 40 and older through the NHF. Opposition Senator Dr Floyd Morris also urged annual testing and said myths about the disease are discouraging men from screening.

Sep 26, 2026

Senator Thompson implores Jamaican men to screen early for prostate cancer amid rise in cases

Government Senator and urologist Dr Elon Thompson is urging Jamaican men over 40 to get screened early for prostate cancer, citing low testing rates and rising deaths. He backed the Ministry’s Blue Stop Series, which offers broader health checks and PSA testing, saying screening must lead to treatment and follow-up, not just awareness.

Sep 25, 2026

Bob and Rita Marley foundations host prostate cancer awareness and screening initiative

Nearly 60 men took part in a prostate cancer awareness and screening event hosted by the Bob and Rita Marley foundations at Tuff Gong International Studios, with screenings provided by Windsor Wellness Centre. The initiative highlighted early detection and featured TropIQA, a pain-free testing technology, aiming to make men’s health checks more accessible and less intimidating across Jamaica.

Sep 25, 2026

Jamaican men urged to get screened for prostate cancer from age 40

Jamaican men are being urged to start prostate cancer screening at age 40 as deaths from the disease continue to rise, with 809 recorded in 2024 and nearly 1,400 new cases. Government Senator Dr Elon Thompson said early-stage prostate cancer can have no symptoms, and called for stronger family, doctor and NHF support to improve testing and treatment.