The prime minister, Theresa May, is to pledge £75 million for clinical trials researching prostate cancer. The aim is to improve early diagnosis for the disease, and boost survival rates.

The plans, which will be announced on Tuesday, will particularly target men who are at a higher risk of the disease, including men who are over the age of 50, who are black, or who have a family history of the disease. It is hoped that 40,000 men will be involved in research projects supported by the funding.

The announcement follows two high-profile cases of prostate cancer revealed last month – those of comedian Stephen Fry, and broadcaster Bill Turnbull. In the UK, prostate cancer affects around one in eight men at some point during their lives.

“The NHS is a world leader in fighting cancer, and survival rates are at record highs, but the is still more to do,” said the health and social care secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

However, the UK currently lags behind other western European countries , and nations such as Australia and Canada, when it comes to cancer survival rates. This is at least partly due to delays in diagnosis and treatment – problems ten new cancer diagnosis centres in England are intended to reduce.

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