David Cameron has disclosed that he was treated for prostate cancer and has called for the introduction of a targeted screening programme for the disease. The former prime minister, 59, said he underwent a PSA test after being urged by his wife, Samantha, following a radio interview with Soho House founder Nick Jones about his own diagnosis.
The test showed a high level of prostate-specific antigen, leading to an MRI scan and a biopsy that confirmed the cancer. Cameron received focal therapy, which uses electrical pulses to destroy cancer cells. He told the Times that hearing the diagnosis was a moment he had dreaded, adding that he wanted to add his voice to those pressing for screening to catch cases earlier.
Cameron said: 'I don’t particularly like discussing my personal intimate health issues, but I feel I ought to. Let’s be honest. Men are not very good at talking about their health. We tend to put things off.' Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in UK males, with about 55,000 new cases annually. There is currently no screening programme due to concerns over PSA test accuracy.
The announcement comes as the first eligible men in the UK are invited to join a major trial, the Transform project, which will compare screening methods to current NHS diagnostic processes. The project, funded by £16m from the National Institute for Health and Care Research and charity Prostate Cancer UK, will inform the UK National Screening Committee's upcoming decision on whether to introduce screening.
Chiara De Biase of Prostate Cancer UK thanked Cameron for raising awareness, noting that 12,000 men die from the disease each year in the UK. 'Prostate cancer is the last major cancer without a screening programme, and we need change now,' she said.
