Sir Chris Hoy calls for men to be offered prostate cancer screening from the age of 45 after his terminal diagnosis
5 November 2024, 10:17
Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy is urging men with a family history of prostate cancer to make appointments with their GP after his terminal diagnosis.
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The NHS will review its guidance on testing for prostate cancer in light of Sir Chris Hoy's "powerful" call for more men to be screened, the Health Secretary has said.
Both Sir Chris's grandfather and father had prostate cancer, which can run in families.
"If you've got family history of it like I have, if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor," Sir Chris said.
"I've got a friend who, when I told him my news early on confidentially, he went and got a PSA test and it turned out he had cancer. He's had treatment and he's been given the all-clear."
He said men should be able to get a screening test when they are younger, with no barriers to accessing one.
"Catch it before you need to have any major treatment. To me it seems a no-brainer. Reduce the age, allow more men to just go in and get a blood test," he told the BBC.
"Maybe people seeing this or hearing about my story - just by them asking their GP - will create enough of a surge of interest that people that make the decisions will go 'you know what, we need to address this'. And in the long term this will save potentially millions of lives."
NHS guidelines for England say anyone can request a PSA test if they are over the age of 50.
The charity Prostate Cancer UK also advises that black people or those with a family history of prostate cancer may want to speak to their GP about having a PSA test from the age of 45.
GPs are currently told to use their clinical judgement for men aged under 50 without symptoms who they consider to be at increased risk of prostate cancer.
Men with symptoms of any age can request a test.
The PSA test on its own is not currently recommended as a screening test for prostate cancer because, although a high level of PSA can be a sign of the disease, PSA levels can also be raised because of other things like a urine infection.
The PSA test also misses some prostate cancers - one in seven men with a normal PSA result actually have the disease.
Newer, more accurate tests are being developed.
Asked about Sir Chris's comments, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: "I think he makes a powerful argument there.
"That's why I've asked the NHS to look at the case for lowering the screening age on prostate cancer, and (he) even makes a particularly powerful case where there's family history.
"I'm sure his appeal to people who've got a history of prostate cancer in their family to maybe think about asking for an earlier check will already be heeded by people watching.
"And the final thing I think he's already made a difference on, is there will be lots of people out there living with cancer at the moment, either themselves or someone they love... and the way in which he has spoken so openly and full of optimism about his own journey with cancer, I think, will have given hope and inspiration to millions of people across the country.
