In a recent interview, David Cameron revealed how a message from his wife after an interview with Nick Jones, founder of Soho House, prompted him to take a PSA test in 2022.
The test revealed worrying signs and then a biopsy confirmed prostate cancer. Cameron says hearing the diagnosis was difficult, but he decided to act quickly, especially after his brother had died of pancreatic cancer at the same age.
He opted for a minimally invasive treatment called focal therapy, which destroys cancer cells without harming the surrounding areas. According to him, the treatment worked and follow-up scans showed very good results.
Cameron is now joining Prostate Cancer Research's call for screening to be offered to men at high risk, as new technologies - such as MRI and genetic tests - make screening more accurate and less risky. He acknowledges there is debate about mass testing, but thinks the time has come to reassess the NHS's approach.
He points out that men often avoid talking about their health, but he hopes his story will encourage others to get informed and, if necessary, get checked.