Brave Sir Chris Hoy will ‘save lives’ after sharing terminal cancer diagnosis – the 6 signs all men must know
Date: 2024-10-21OLYMPICS legend Sir Chris Hoy will help “save lives” after his cancer diagnosis announcement sparked a surge in web searches for the disease, charities say.
Sir Chris Hoy, 48, recently revealed that he has just two to four years to live after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
His announcement prompted over 30,000 visits to the Macmillan Cancer Support website, while Prostate Cancer UK said Sir Chris’s revelation would “undoubtedly save lives”.
Macmillan said they have seen the biggest surge in web searches for cancer in the UK since the Royal Family’s cancer diagnoses earlier this year.
King Charles revealed that he’d been diagnosed with cancer in February 2024 while being treated for an enlarged prostate, while the Princess of Wales shared that she was in the early stages of treatment for the disease the following month.
Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris first announced in February that he was being “treated for cancer”.
But days ago he made his full diagnosis public, sharing that the cancer had spread from his prostate to his bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine.
Brave Sir Chris told the Sunday Times: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature.
“You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.
“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”
Sir Chris said he told his children, Chloe, seven and Callum, 10, that no-one lives forever but that he hopes to “be here for many, many more years”.
In a heartbreaking twist, Sir Chris’ wife Sarra was told she had incurable and degenerative MS just weeks before his cancer news.
Prostate cancer is one of the biggest killers of men in the UK, with one dying from the disease every 45 minutes.
It’s thought that one in eight men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime.
Claire Taylor, chief nursing officer at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Receiving an advanced cancer diagnosis is a life-changing moment for anybody and our thoughts are with Sir Chris Hoy and his family at this difficult time.
“The incredible courage he has shown in sharing this very personal experience will inspire others who may be facing a similar situation and encourage more people to seek support.”
The charity said it recorded more than 31,000 visits to its website yesterday – 34 per cent higher than the average visits on a Sunday in the past year.
Men simply should not be diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage 4… Sir Chris is one of thousands of men in the UK who have received their prostate cancer diagnosis too late
Laura Kerby
Meanwhile Laura Kerby, chief executive at Prostate Cancer UK, told Sun Health the Olympic legend’s candid announcement could help “save lives”.
“We want to thank Sir Chris for sharing his experience, as we know that when high-profile men share their stories of prostate cancer it starts important conversations, helps make men aware of their risk of the disease, and undoubtedly saves lives.
“We saw this impact when Bill Turnbull spoke publicly about his own prostate cancer journey, and when King Charles revealed he had been treated for a prostate issue.
“The more men that share their stories, the more awareness there is of this disease.”
EARLY DIAGNOSIS SAVES LIVES
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that sits under the bladder and surrounds the urethra.
Its job is to help make semen and it grows bigger as you get older.
Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way.
More than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year on average – making it the most common form of cancer in men – and 12,000 Brits die from the disease.
Sir Chris Hoy's terminal diagnosis
The star went to the doctor in late September last year after feeling a strain in his shoulder.
He described how his world “fell apart in one sentence”.
Speaking of the appointment, he told the Sunday Times he thought: “I’m just getting a bit old for lifting heavy weights”.
Referred by his physiotherapist for a scan, he went to the hospital alone, expecting to be told to lay off upper-body work in the gym for a few weeks.
“I’m really sorry,†the doctor told him. “There’s a tumour in your shoulder.â€
A second scan discovered primary cancer in his prostate.
The cancer has metastasised to Sir Chris’s bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine – meaning his diagnosis is terminal.
Read more on the Olympic legend’s health battle here.
Despite being the third deadliest form of cancer, prostate cancer can be beaten if it’s caught early.
In most cases, prostate cancer doesn’t have symptoms in the early stages.
But some men are more at risk of the disease, including those over the age of 50 and people with a family history of cancer.
You can find your chance of developing the disease using Prostate Cancer UK’s risk checker here.
Symptoms of prostate cancer only usually emerge when the growth is big enough to put pressure on the urethra – the tube you pee through – according to NHS.
EARLY SIGNS OF PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer that’s contained inside the prostate doesn’t usually cause any symptoms, which is why it’s important to know about your risk.
However, some men might have started experiencing urinary problems that start mildly and develop over many years.
They may be a sign of a benign (non-cancerous) prostate problem, rather than prostate cancer but it’s worth getting checked out.
According to the NHS, the six most common early signs of prostate cancer include:
- Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- Needing to rush to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee
- Weak flow
- Straining and taking a long time while peeing
- Feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied fully
If prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body or breaks away from the prostate, it can cause other symptoms.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, these include:
- Back pain, hip pain or pelvis pain
- Problems getting or keeping an erection
- Blood in the urine or semen
- Unexplained weight loss
Laura, from Prostate Cancer UK, added: “Men simply should not be diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage 4.
“But sadly, Sir Chris is one of thousands of men in the UK who have received their prostate cancer diagnosis too late.
“One in eight men will be affected by prostate cancer in their lifetime, but men like Sir Chris, who are 45 and over and with a family history of the disease, as well as black men, are at significantly higher risk of prostate cancer at a younger age.
“The PSA blood test is the first step to early diagnosis, yet GPs are prevented from offering this test and discussing prostate cancer risk with men like Sir Chris because of current NHS guidelines, which treat all men the same.
“We believe no man should die of prostate cancer. That’s why we’re urging the Government to refresh these outdated rules and begin saving thousands of lives today.”
The cancer mainly affects men over 50, and your risk increases with age.
If you suspect you might have prostate cancer, speak to your GP.
It comes after NHS figures showed that cancer diagnoses hit an all-time high in 2022, with prostate cancer being the most common type.
OTHER STARS AFFECTED
Ex-Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, 72, has been living with an aggressive form of prostate cancer since 2021 and recently shared an update on his treatment.
Former BBC Breakfast host Bill Turnbull died at the age of 66 in 2022, after being diagnosed with the disease in 2017.
Meanwhile, in November last year Brookside star Dean Sullivan passed away, after being diagnosed with the condition in 2018.
The Jimmy Corkhill actor’s agent announced that the 68-year-old actor had died peacefully following a short illness.
The soap opera icon revealed he did not struggle with many symptoms usually associated with prostate cancer.
But he did notice a reduced flow and decided to get checked after listening to his gut.
The first medical professional Dean saw told them to monitor it, but a second doctor gave him a 30-second examination, which revealed his prostate was enlarged.
Further tests uncovered the cancer.
“Sometimes people think they’re bothering the doctor unnecessarily but we shouldn’t be embarrassed to go back,” Dean told Prostate Cancer UK.
“If I’d have listened to the first doctor, it might have been a different story so always trust your gut.
“Eleven times out of 10, you’re right; we’ve still got that fight or flight instinct.”
Dean was confident his early diagnosis helped lead to successful treatment and warned others to get checked as soon as they notice any changes.
Treatment usually involves active surveillance, surgery or radiotherapy.
More than 95 per cent of people survive a year following diagnosis, and 85 per cent survive their cancer for five years or more.
The outlook depends on when it was caught. The earlier, the better.
Scientists recently claimed “breakthrough†blood test was able to diagnose men with prostate cancer with 90 per cent accuracy in 15 minutes or less.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer
The risk of developing prostate cancer depends on many factors, here are some of the facts about the disease and how many men it affects.
- One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime
- It is the fourth most common cancer worldwide, and the most common in men
- There are 55,000 new cases every year in the UK, and 1.4million globally
- Around 12,000 people lose their lives to prostate cancer annually in the UK and almost 400,000 around the world
- Prostate cancer accounts for 28 per cent of all new cancer cases in men in the UK, and 14 per cent of all new cancer cases in men and women combined
- Prostate cancer survival has tripled in the last 50 years in the UK
- More than three-quarters (78 per cent) of patients survive for 10 or more years
- About 490,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer in the UK
- It is most common in men aged 75 to 79
- Since the early 1990s, cases have increased by 53 per cent in the UK
- Mortality rates are up 16 per cent since the early 1970s in the UK
- Incidence rates are projected to rise by 15 per cent in the UK between 2023 to 2025 and 2038 to 2040
- Mortality rates are expected to fall five per cent in the UK over the same years
Source: Prostate Cancer UK, World Cancer Research Fund International and Cancer Research UK
