Alton Lions PSA Event: 382 Men Tested as New Health Standards Take Effect
Following the successful Prostate Cancer Screening event held on Saturday, 21st March, at the Alton Community Centre, the Lions Club of Alton and PCaSO have released the results of the 382 blood tests processed.
The event saw a high turnout of local men taking a proactive step toward managing their health. However, this year’s results look slightly different from previous events due to a vital change in how the data is interpreted.
EHDC Chairman Graham Hill gets his test
The 2026 Results Breakdown
From the 382 men who attended the screening*:
319 received a Green result (No immediate action).
20 received an Amber result (Monitoring advised).
43 received a Red result (Referral for further investigation).
*This is a completely confidential service and Alton Lions have no access to the personal details of those who were tested. Attendees were informed of their result by post.
Understanding the Increase in "Red" Results
You may notice that the number of "Red" (raised) results has increased significantly over previous years. This is not due to a sudden spike in cases, but rather a deliberate shift in medical safety standards.
Until the end of 2025, testing events typically followed NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidelines. However, these were originally designed for men who were already showing symptoms.
To better serve our community, PCaSO have now adopted the PCRMP (Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme) guidelines.
Designed for Early Detection: PCRMP is specifically aimed at men with no symptoms, which describes the majority of men we test.
Lower Referral Thresholds: These guidelines use a slightly lower PSA level to trigger a referral. By "lowering the bar," we can catch potential issues much earlier.
The Goal is Prevention: While this leads to more men being flagged for follow-ups, it ensures that those who may have been missed under the old rules are now given the medical attention they need.
Lion President Paul Taroni, EHDC chair Graham Hill and Peter Weir PCaSO
A Community Effort
We encourage all men to monitor their PSA regularly so that any significant increase over time can be caught early.
The Alton Lions would like to thank the 382 men who attended, the volunteers and medical professionals from PCaSO, plus Cllr Graham Hill and East Hampshire District Council for their support in delivering this project.
"Know your PSA, know where it's going" remains our core message. Whether your result was Green, Amber, or Red, having this baseline measurement is the most powerful tool you have in the fight against prostate cancer.