Over 25,000 men have taken life-saving 30-second prostate cancer checks after Ally Pally darts sponsor Paddy Power pledged £1m to tackle the killer disease
More than 25,000 men took a 30-second online test over the past two weeks to calculate their risk of one of Britain's deadliest cancers.
New data shows that the number of people completing Prostate Cancer UK's online checker was five times higher than the same period last year.
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' – also saw the bookmaker reveal it could donate up to £1 million to Prostate Cancer UK during the tournament.
Of the 25,000 men who have used the tool since it was announced on November 30, seven in 10, around 17,500, have been identified as 'high risk', according to the charity.
New data shows that the number of people completing Prostate Cancer UK's online checker was five times higher than the same period last year. Of the 25,000 men who have used the tool since it was announced on November 30, seven in 10, around 17,500, have been identified as 'high risk', according to the charity.
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
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.
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, which starts on Friday, Paddy Power hopes 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.
After 901 maximums were scored at last year's tournament, it is hoped the record will be broken in December and Paddy Power can pay £1 million to Prostate Cancer UK.
Paddy Power says the money raised will fund life-saving research for men affected by the disease.
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: 'This is an incredible result considering the Paddy Power World Darts Championship doesn't start until next Friday.
'We have pledged to donate £1,000 every time a triple 20 is hit during the tournament, in the ultimate hope that we can raise awareness of Prostate Cancer UK's risk checker, encourage 180,000 men to use it, and be able to sign a check for probably £1 million by the time the tournament finishes in January.'
She added: 'If we can get the number of men checking their risk multiplied by four before a dart has even been thrown, who knows what we can achieve once the action gets underway at the Ally Pally in front of 90,000 fans and a television show. audience of millions around the world.'
The risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older, with most cases developing in men aged 50 or over, the NHS says.
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
After 901 maximums were scored at last year's tournament, it is hoped the record will be broken in December and Paddy Power can pay a huge £1million to Prostate Cancer UK. Paddy Power says the money raised will fund life-saving research for men affected by the disease. The best players in the world compete for the Ballon D'Art
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.