MEN in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale have been given a health scare with new figures revealing they are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

From 1996 to 2001, there were 648 cases of prostate cancer across the three boroughs -- 15 per cent higher than the national average.

Of the men, 240 died -- 12.9 per cent of all the cancer deaths in the period.

The figures are in a report by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Primary Care Trust public health director Dr Ellis Friedman and they will be discussed at a meeting on Wednesday.

Dr Friedman said: "It is fair to say prostate cancer registrations are higher in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale."

He said there was a link between deprivation and incidents of prostate cancer but the figures show that men are not more likely to die from the cancer in these regions compared to elsewhere.

And doctors stressed the number of cases diagnosed are still quite low.

Why anyone develops prostate cancer is not known but it is thought that some people have a genetic leaning to the cancer, although other factors, such as diet, may bring it on.

And countries with a high level of heart disease such as the UK also have higher levels of prostate cancer.

More people are being diagnosed with prostate cancer nationally but doctors say this could be because they are more able to spot cases.

Prostate cancer is the second commonest male cancer. Caught early on, it is a very treatable disease but half the men who have prostate cancer are diagnosed at a late stage. The average survival rate from diagnosis to death is about 15 years.

It is rare in younger men and mostly occurs in the over 50s with the highest incidence rates being in the mid 70s.