NHS to review prostate cancer guidance after Sir Chris Hoy appeal

The NHS is going to review guidance on prostate cancer testing after Sir Chris Hoy's call for more men to get screened, Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed.

The Olympic cycling champion and former Team GB track cyclist revealed he has terminal cancer last month, and said he has been given two to four years to live.

Sir Chris, 48, has since urged men with a family history of the disease to see their GP, and for more men to be aware of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for the disease.

Both Sir Chris' grandfather and father had prostate cancer, which can run in families.

What are the current NHS guidelines?

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 judgment 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.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Sir Chris said: "If you’ve got family history of it, like I have, if you’re over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor.

“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.

“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.”

His comments were echoed by the health secretary, who said: "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."

Data shows that men who have a brother or father with prostate cancer are 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease and the risk increases even further if they were under 60 when diagnosed.

Chiara De Biase, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “We’re grateful to Sir Chris for so bravely and openly telling his story this morning, and we welcome news that the Government is now actively looking into testing men who have a family history of prostate cancer from the age of 45.

“One in eight men will get prostate cancer but there’s currently no screening programme for the disease.

“If your dad or brother has had prostate cancer, or you’re black, you have the highest risk of getting the disease, and we strongly recommend you talk to your GP about testing from 45.

“Right now, you need to be aware of this and bring it up with a GP yourself. As prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its earlier stages this is leading to too many men getting a late, incurable diagnosis – like Sir Chris.”

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