THE Isle of Wight Prostate Cancer Support Group will hold a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test event in Totland today (Saturday.)

The second of four such events this year will take place at Totland Bay Bowling Club from 9am until 2.15pm.

PSA is protein produced by both cancerous and non-cancerous tissue in the prostate, and can be an early sign of cancer.

A previous prostate cancer screening event in Cowes found 75 of the 250 men who were tested to be showing potential early signs of cancer.

Those attending provided blood samples which were couriered over to the Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth where they were tested for increased levels of PSA.

The screening allows people to be alerted to the risk at an early stage so they can seek further tests from their GP as identifying prostate cancer at an early stage gives men the best chance of a full recovery.

Alan Taylor, chairman of the IW Prostate Cancer Support Group, said: “We would like to thank our supporters and volunteers who made the screening event possible and to those who got tested.

“This year we are using a new more accurate and detailed protocol to issue results to the men.

“We wish to thank our partners in organising and running this event, including volunteers on the day, and especially Wightlink for supporting us with travel to help our courier deliver 250 blood samples from the Island to Portsmouth.”

More details of today's event are available online at www.iwpcsg.org and iow.mypsatests.org.uk.