NHS to review prostate cancer testing after Chris Hoy call for change

The charity Prostate Cancer UK backs the call, saying doing more checks could potentially save thousands of lives each year.

Spokeswoman Chiara De Biase said: "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."

Sir Chris spoke of the "absolute shock and horror" he felt at his initial diagnosis.

The news that he had a terminal illness, in September 2023, came "completely out the blue".

"No symptoms, no warnings, nothing. All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs."

And he spoke of the "nightmare" of learning wife Sarra had multiple sclerosis, and having to break the news to their two young children.

"We just tried to be positive and tried to say 'Do you know what? This is what we're doing and you can help because when I'm not feeling well, you can come and give me cuddles, you can be supportive, you can be happy, you can be kind to each other'."

He said he was grateful for the outpouring of support they had received and that he was focusing on the positives and the good he hopes can come from it.