Almost 40,000 men at high-risk of prostate cancer have now taken vital 30-second checks via Paddy Power’s big-money sponsorship of the Ally Pally World Darts Championship
Nearly 40,000 men at high risk of one of Britain's deadliest cancers have taken a 30-second online test to calculate their chances of developing the disease in just three weeks.
Since November 30, a total of 48,728 people have completed Prostate Cancer UK's online checker, five times more than the same period last year.
New data shows that 77 percent (37,489) were classified as 'high risk' according to the charity.
Ahead of the World Darts Championship, tournament sponsor Paddy Power announced it would be working with the charity in a bid to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, which kills more than 11,500 men in Britain every year.
The initiative – dubbed 'The Big 180' – saw the bookmaker also reveal that the aim was to donate up to £1 million to Prostate Cancer UK during the tournament, which would raise £1,000 after a maximum score of 180 was reached.
Since November 30, a total of 48,728 people have completed Prostate Cancer UK's online checker, five times more than the same period last year. But new data shows that 77 percent (37,489) were classified as 'high risk' according to the charity.
The charity's risk checker, which helps men understand their risk and decide whether they need another blood test, consists of just three short questions.
These include your age, your family history of the disease and ethnicity to determine whether you carry any of the risk factors.
Information is then given on how men over 50 can access a free prostate cancer check and how to receive further information via email.
This includes links to what to ask your GP, contact details for the charity's specialist nurses and further resources on the symptoms of the disease.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, 5,184 men – more than a fifth of all respondents so far – took the test on the first day of the tournament, which started on Friday.
One in eight men will develop the disease at some point in their lives; more than 52,000 men are diagnosed annually.
But 9,000 men a year are diagnosed once the disease has already spread, making it the most common cause of cancer death in men after lung cancer.
Experts agree that early detection is key to increasing survival rates.
However, in the absence of a national screening program, progress in reducing numbers has been slow.
By the end of the World Darts Championship, Paddy Power hopes that up to 180,000 men will use the charity's checker to calculate their risk.
The bookmaker will also donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK every time one of the players reaches the maximum score of 180 during the tournament at Alexandra Palace in North London, which runs until January 4.
It predicted it would donate around £1m to charity after 901 maximums were scored at last year's tournament.
But based on the current trajectory – 131 hits since Friday compared to 111 in the same period last year – Paddy Power believes the record will be broken if total donations exceed £1 million.
The campaign was launched last month by 1993/94 PDC World Darts Championship winner Dennis 'The Menance' Priestly, who was treated for the disease after being diagnosed in November 2007.
Rachael Kane, Paddy Power spokesperson said: 'At the start of the tournament, Paddy Power stats makers predicted that an 880 180s might be hit at this year's Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
'However, based on the current trajectory, the numbers are already well ahead of last year at the same point in the game – 131 versus 111 – indicating that the players are slowly making their way towards breaking a possible record at this year's tournament . '
She added: “We're pleased to report that our finance department is starting to feel a little clammy.”
An analysis by Cancer Research UK shows that around 167,000 lives are lost to cancer every year in the UK – around 460 people every day.
On average, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK, making it the most common form of cancer in men. About 12,000 men die from the disease every year – the equivalent of one man every 45 minutes
Paddy Power (left) was pictured with ex-professional darts player and prostate cancer survivor Dennis Priestly (centre) alongside Matt Holdstock of Prostate Cancer UK before the launch last month
The risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older, with most cases developing in men aged 50 or over, the NHS says.
Symptoms may include needing to urinate more often, having to wait longer before urinating, erectile dysfunction, blood in the urine, weight loss, or new and unexplained lower back pain.
After discussing symptoms, a doctor will likely ask for a urine sample to check for infection and a blood sample to test the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can be used to diagnose prostate cancer.
Celebrities who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer include Stephen Fry, who said he was 'stunned' after discovering he had the disease in 2018, but recovered because it was caught early.
Musician Jools Holland announced last year that he had been successfully treated for prostate cancer after a diagnosis in 2014.
In August, Prostate Cancer UK also announced that referrals for the disease have reached a record high in the past year – up 17 percent – thanks to the 'Bill Turnbull' effect.
They said they believe the death of the ambassador and presenter encouraged men to get tested.
The Daily Mail also recently relaunched its End the Needless Prostate Deaths campaign in an effort to improve the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.