Sir Chris Hoy's call to lower prostate cancer testing age to 45 sparks NHS review

Sir Chris Hoy, who has terminal diagnosis, says men with a family history of prostate cancer should be tested earlier as Health Secretary Wes Streeting orders a review

The NHS will consider lowering the age men are tested for prostate cancer after Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy said men should be checked from 45.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has ordered the review after the intervention by Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris, who has terminal cancer. He is urging men with a family history of the disease to consider seeing their GP, and for more men to be aware of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to check for the disease.

Routine PSA testing is not offered on the NHS because of concerns about its reliability. However men over 50 can ask their GP for one even if they have no symptoms. Men are also offered one if a doctor thinks they have symptoms that could be prostate cancer.

Both Sir Chris's grandfather and father had prostate cancer, which can run in families. He told the BBC: "If you've got family history of it like I have, if you're over the age of 45, go and ask your doctor. I've got a friend who, when I told him my news early on confidentially, he went and got a PSA test and it turned out he had cancer. He's had treatment and he's been given the all-clear. Catch it before you need to have any major treatment. To me it seems a no-brainer. Reduce the age, allow more men to just go in and get a blood test."

Sir Chris said men should be able to get a screening test when they are younger, with no barriers to accessing one. Men who have a brother or father with prostate cancer are 2.5 times more likely to develop the disease and the risk increases even further if they were under 60 when diagnosed.

Mr Streeting, who is himself a kidney cancer survivor, told BBC Radio 4's the Today programme Sir Chris Hoy "makes a very compelling case". He said: "I've asked the NHS to look at whether we are currently in the right place when it comes to screening so that's something that we're actively looking at.

"And actually one of many reasons why Chris Hoy's openness about his own experience with cancer, his family's experience with cancer, I think has been so impactful because moments like this, especially where you've got a high-profile case and someone who's willing to talk as openly as he is about his situation, I think it prompts a good debate about whether or not we've got the screening and the early diagnosis in the right place."

The PSA test on its own is not currently recommended as a screening test for prostate cancer. Although a high level of PSA can be a sign of the disease, PSA levels can also be raised because of other things like a urine infection. Also one in seven men with a normal PSA result actually have the disease. More accurate tests are in development. Currently if you have a raised PSA level you may then be offered another PSA test to check if your levels are still high. Your GP may then refer you to a specialist for a biopsy or MRI scan.

Chiara De Biase, director at Prostate Cancer UK, said: "We're grateful to Sir Chris for so bravely and openly telling his story this morning, and we welcome news that the Government is now actively looking into testing men who have a family history of prostate cancer from the age of 45. 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. The system needs to change. That's why we're calling on the Government to overhaul outdated NHS guidelines so that GPs can start conversations with these men about their higher risk and the option to have a PSA blood test. This move will save thousands of lives every year.”

Sir Chris told of the "absolute shock and horror" he felt at his initial diagnosis, the "nightmare" of also learning wife Sarra had multiple sclerosis, and having to break the news to their two young children. He said: "It was the biggest shock of my life. I remember the feeling of just absolute horror and shock. I just basically walked back in a daze. I couldn't believe the news and I was just trying to process it, I don't remember walking.

"I just remember sort of halfway home thinking 'where am I?' And then I was thinking 'how am I going to tell Sarra? What am I going to say?' Suddenly, everything, all your thoughts, everything rushes. It's almost like your life is flashing before your eyes in that moment.

"It does feel like this isn't real. You feel that you want to get out, you feel like you're a caged animal, you want to get out of that consulting room and get away from the hospital and run away from it all. But you realise you can't outrun this, this is within you and this is just the first step of the process of acceptance."

He said his first thought was how he would break the news to his two young children. He said: "How on earth are we going to tell the kids? It's just this absolute horror, it is a waking nightmare, living nightmare.

"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'."

On his Olympic wins and his career, Sir Chris said: "The stakes are much higher now. It felt like life and death in the moment when you were battling it out for an Olympic gold medal but the stakes have changed dramatically and it is life and death. But the principle is the same, it's about focusing on what you have control over and not worrying about the stuff that you can't control."