Anybody reading Sir Chris Hoy’s interview in The Times in which he revealed his terminal cancer diagnosis cannot fail to have been moved.
Faced with his own mortality, Sir Chris shows his Herculean determination to live life to the full, even against a ticking clock.
We are repeatedly told that 1 in 2 of us will get cancer, yet somehow it’s more shocking when we hear that cancer has bettered the seemingly invincible.
I was recently sent information about prostate cancer survival rates in Hampshire from one of the many charities pushing for better routine screening for the under 50s.
Prostate Cancer Research (PCR) conducted an audit last year, which showed 263 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer within the area covered by the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust. If caught early (stages 1-3), prostate cancer has five-year survival rates close to 100 per cent. If caught late (stage 4 metastatic disease), the five-year survival rate is halved.
The audit data indicated around 15 per cent of men in Hampshire diagnosed with prostate cancer are presented with stage 4 metastatic disease at first diagnosis. That’s around 40 men a year being diagnosed late, and potentially dying early.
In the UK around 150 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every day, roughly 55,100 new cases every year.
PCR have long been calling for a national screening programme to target those at high risk of developing the disease.
At the moment the onus is on an individual to request what’s known as a ‘PSA’ test. This relies on men understanding both the risk of prostate cancer as they get older and the availability of the test (which they can request from their GP).
While global charities like Movember are throwing the spotlight o men’s health, local good causes like the Alton Lions, with the help of the Prostate Cancer Support Organisation, have held PSA testing events in recent years. Last month the Petersfield Lions held a similar testing event at TPS.
Better screening and education is what’s required if more men are to get an earlier diagnosis and survive. Extra MRI scanning machinery too would also help identify those presenting with the disease at an early stage following a positive PSA test.
Mandatory screening for those in the high-risk category would include people like Sir Chris who has a history of prostate cancer in his family. Unfortunately, his test came too late.
Amidst the sadness of Sir Chris’ story, is the positive news that requests for PSA tests have increased seven fold. PCR has recently launched the ‘Proactive for your Prostate’ campaign to put prostate cancer screening on the political agenda.
I think it’s safe to say that the politicians are already listening – and I think they have Sir Chris to thank for that.