Introduction to Prostate Cancer
Former Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer. He told a newspaper that after listening to a BBC radio interview with an entrepreneur who advocated for more men to be tested after receiving a diagnosis himself, his wife insisted he undergo a scan.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Lord Cameron had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test earlier this year, followed by an MRI scan and a biopsy. He was then treated with focal therapy, which targets the area where the tumor is located, using methods such as ultrasound waves to destroy cancer cells. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with around 55,000 new cases every year.
Raising Awareness
A PSA test looks for proteins linked to prostate cancer and the result was high in Lord Cameron’s case. He wants to use his platform to support a call to offer screening to high-risk men. The cancer most often occurs in old age, especially in men over 75 years of age. Cases in people under 50 are rare. It is also more common in black men.
Personal Experience
Lord Cameron said, "I don’t particularly like talking about my personal intimate health problems, but I feel like I should. Let’s face it, men aren’t great at talking about their health. We tend to put things off." He added, "I kind of thought, well, this happened to you and you should lend your voice to it." He had a scan, which helped him discover something that was wrong and gave him the opportunity to deal with it.
Current Screening Programs
Due to concerns about the accuracy of PSA testing, there is currently no screening program for prostate cancer in the UK. However, a large study on prostate cancer screening in the country has just started. The aim is to find the best way to detect the disease by comparing it with current diagnostic practices, which can include blood tests and biopsies.
Importance of Early Detection
Prostate Cancer UK co-funds the program. The director of health services praised Lord Cameron for telling his story and raising “vital awareness.” She said, "We lose 12,000 fathers, brothers, sons, and friends every year to this disease. We have reached a tipping point in the UK where too many men are dying from a curable disease." Prostate cancer is the last major cancer without an early detection program, and change is needed now.
Statistics and Prevention
About one in eight men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Research shows it has overtaken breast cancer as the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease in the UK. Last year, a cycling champion called for more younger men to be tested for prostate cancer following his own diagnosis. The Health Minister later said he had “asked the NHS to consider the case of lowering the age” for routine PSA testing. Current guidelines state that anyone can request a test if they are over 50.
