We announced the launch of Never Miss, co-created with MSD, known as Merck & Co. in the United States and Canada, a global prostate cancer awareness campaign that taps into the passion many people have for sport to encourage them to understand their risk of developing prostate cancer, and for those who may be at risk to speak to their doctor.
Breaking down the social barriers to prostate cancer awareness
Prostate cancer impacts millions of people globally, either directly or indirectly.1 ‘Never Miss’ aims to provide people with the information and the confidence they need to not only engage their doctor if they may be at risk of developing prostate cancer, but also to speak openly with their loved ones and break down the barriers that surround discussing prostate health.
Tapping into the power of sport
By tapping into the lifelong affinity many people have with sport, ‘Never Miss’ urges men to extend that same commitment and passion to their own health and well-being, and 'Never Miss' a chance at early diagnosis by understanding their potential risk of prostate cancer. The campaign includes a comprehensive website, available in multiple languages, with educational resources such as conversation guides to help men feel more comfortable talking about prostate health with their doctor and loved ones.
Encouraging early diagnosis across the globe
We know that for many people, having conversations around this sensitive topic may not be easy. The purpose of ‘Never Miss’ is to help men understand their potential risk of developing prostate cancer and to spread this message globally to improve outcomes and help support and inform those who may be impacted by prostate cancer. Whether it’s yourself, a relative, friend or loved one, we all know someone who may be at risk.
Our top priority in breaking down barriers to prostate cancer awareness and detection is always to listen to the community affected by this disease, act on these insights, and ensure the patient voice is heard.
Prostate cancer impacts millions of men around the world. We know that when prostate cancer is detected early, the outcomes for patients may be greatly improved. Through the ‘Never Miss’ campaign, we hope to raise awareness of risk factors for prostate cancer, break down social barriers and empower men to take control of their health.
Who may be at risk of prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer often doesn’t present with symptoms. Knowing whether you may be at risk can help you identify early signs of the disease. Those who may be at risk are men over the age of 50, or Black men over the age of 45, as well as those with a family history of prostate, breast, ovarian or pancreatic cancer. When prostate cancer is diagnosed in the early stages, doctors have more options to determine appropriate care and improve patient outcomes.2-7
The global unmet need for prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. There were 1.4 million new cases of prostate cancer and 375,000 deaths globally in 2020.8,9 Despite an increase in the number of available therapies, it is estimated that prostate cancer mortality will almost double over the next 20 years.10,11
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References
1. World. WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2021 [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/populations/900-world-fact-sheets.pdf
2. Prostate cancer - Overview. NHS UK; 2021 [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/prostate-cancer
3. Prostate cancer signs and symptoms. American Cancer Society; 2019 [cited 2022Nov30]. Available from: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html
4. Prostate cancer risk factors. American Cancer Society; 2020 [cited 2022Nov30]. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
5. Rumpf F, Plym A, Vaselkiv J, Preston M, Kibel A, Mucci L, et al. Impact of Family History and Germline Genetic Risk Variants on Long-Term Outcomes of Active Surveillance-Eligible Prostate Cancer. Journal of Urology. 2022;207(Supplement 5).
6. Black men and prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer UK; 2016 [cited 2022Nov] Available from: https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/are-you-at-risk/black-men-and-prostate-cancer.
7. Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test Fact Sheet. National Cancer Institute; 2022 [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet.
8. Prostate. WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2020 [cited 2022Nov] Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/27-Prostate-fact-sheet.pdf.
9. Prostate cancer statistics. World Cancer Research Fund International. [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://www.wcrf.org/cancer-trends/prostate-cancer-statistics/.
10. Estimated number of deaths from 2020 to 2040, Both sexes, age [0-85+]. Prostate. WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer; [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/tomorrow/en/dataviz/bars?types=1&sexes=0&mode=population&group_populations=0&multiple_populations=1&multiple_cancers=1&cancers=27&populations=903_904_905_908_909_935&apc=cat_ca20v1.5_ca23v-1.5&group_cancers=1&bar_mode=grouped
11. Estimated number of deaths from 2020 to 2040, prostate, males, all ages. WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer; [cited 2022Nov]. Available from: https://gco.iarc.fr/tomorrow/en/dataviz/isotype?sexes=1&single_unit=500000&cancers=27
Veeva ID: Z4-50751
Date of preparation: December 2022