New AI prostate cancer research could help save men's lives

Sir Chris Hoy Credit: PA

New research, which uses AI and genetic analysis to diagnose prostate cancer, could help to save men's lives.Prostate Cancer UK has launched a project that will allow doctors to predict how aggressive a man's prostate cancer will be.

That will enable more targeted treatment for the more than 52,000 men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the UK.

It follows the announcement by six time olympic cyclist, Sir Chris Hoy, that his prostate cancer had spread and he has two to four years to live.

Trevor Gray, from Reading, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021 despite initial tests not picking up the disease.

"I was in London, just walking around with a friend and I had a sight accident and I needed to go to toilet badly and couldn't hold it in and I though that's never happened to me before."

"I went to the doctor's, he did the usual test, the PSA and the digital rectal exam, and he said there's nothing to worry about, your PSA's low. It was 2.1, I was 65 at the time, and he said your prostate feels ok, a little bit enlarged but just to be on the safe side why don't we send you to the hospital to get some further tests."And those tests were crucial. After a biopsy Trevor was told he had aggressive prostate cancer and two months later had his prostate removed.

Trevor Gray, from Reading, told ITV News Meridian's Juliette Fletcher he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2021 despite initial tests not picking up the disease.

"We're a very close knit family, my wife and two girls, and telling them was the scary bit. We sat in the kitchen and all cried."

"But once you get that out the way I think that's the catalyst really to go right ok. I'm a positive person, I always have been, let's deal with it."That fast treatment saved Trevor's life and now Prostate Cancer UK are funding new research to help doctors identify aggressive cases early.

"What the team are trying to do is, they're looking at samples from men from across the world, they're looking at 2,000 different men," said Dr Hayley Luxton, Prostate Cancer UK.

"And what we're aiming to do is use AI to look at the genetics of the men to find out if there's a pattern that can be used to identify men with really aggressive prostate cancer."

One in eight men will be diagnosed in their lifetimes. At the week Olympic Cyclist Sir Chris Hoy revealed details of his own battle against the disease."We really want to thank Chris Hoy for sharing his story and it's really important for men like Chris understand their risks," said Dr Luxton.

"Men over 50, or if you are a black man, or if you have any family history, then you really need to go to our website prostatecanceruk.org and take our risk checker.Trevor has been given the all clear and he and his family are enjoying every day.

"I was one of the lucky ones because I discovered it early enough, it hadn't spread to my bones, so any help that they can come up with is beneficial," said Trevor.

It's hope the 1.5 million pound research will allow more men to live longer and healthier lives.

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