A British dad diagnosed with the same aggressive prostate cancer as Jeremy Clarkson has issued a vital warning to men across the country. Mike Collins, 67, discovered his cancer by chance while volunteering on a mobile PSA testing unit, despite having no symptoms whatsoever. His story comes after the former Top Gear presenter revealed his own diagnosis in the final episodes of Clarkson's Farm.
How Mike Discovered His Cancer
Mike was attending the British Motor Show in Farnborough last summer when he demonstrated to a member of the public how to view PSA test results on the NHS app. Realising he only had two years of records himself, he arranged a blood test through his GP. The result was within the normal range, but when he examined the graph showing his testing history, he noticed his PSA levels had risen by 50 percent over three years.
PSA levels naturally increase with age, but a 100 percent rise over three years is concerning. A conversation with Professor Stephen Langley, a leading prostate cancer specialist, led to further investigations. An MRI scan raised concerns, and a biopsy confirmed prostate cancer, graded three out of five but still contained within the prostate capsule.
Treatment and Recovery
Because the cancer had not spread, Mike could choose between surgery or targeted radiotherapy combined with hormone therapy. He opted for the latter due to a quicker recovery. The hormone therapy suppressed testosterone, causing hot flushes, breast enlargement, and brain fog. Despite these challenges, Mike was declared cancer-free on May 5 this year.
Mike and his wife were shocked by the diagnosis. 'We looked at each other and had a bit of a cry,' he recalls. 'Even when you're told it's treatable and the consultant is optimistic, hearing the word cancer is frightening.' Their two sons, both in their thirties, now face double the average risk of developing prostate cancer.
Key Warning Signs and Risk Factors
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men in Britain, and up to 80 percent of men experience no symptoms. Mike urges men to check their PSA results on the NHS app, which shows a three-year graph indicating concerning rises that GPs may miss. He stresses that men have the right to request a PSA test from their GP from age 50, even without symptoms. Men with a family history of prostate cancer or Black men (who face a one in four risk) are advised to consider testing from age 45.
'I had no symptoms at all,' Mike says. 'If I hadn't looked at that graph and spotted the change, I wouldn't have known there was anything wrong. That's why men need to take responsibility for their health. Don't wait for symptoms. By then, it could be too late.'
Jeremy Clarkson's Diagnosis
Jeremy Clarkson revealed his aggressive prostate cancer diagnosis in the final episodes of Clarkson's Farm. His friend and farm manager, Kaleb Cooper, broke down in tears at the news. Clarkson was diagnosed last summer and had surgery to remove 10 percent of his prostate just eight months after heart surgery for blocked coronary arteries.
Mike, a trustee with the Prostate Project charity, believes Clarkson's treatment options likely include surgery, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, or a combination. 'If it's aggressive, doctors are more likely to want to treat it actively rather than monitor it,' he says. 'The prognosis can still be very good if it's been found early.'
