Six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy has voiced strong criticism regarding the absence of routine prostate cancer screening for men over 50 in the UK. Hoy, who was diagnosed with the disease nearly three years ago and found it had spread to his bones, described the situation as "infuriating," stating that an estimated 10,000 men are diagnosed with the incurable disease annually because it is detected too late.
Hoy, 50, has been a prominent advocate for universal National Health Service (NHS) screening for men over 50 since his shock diagnosis in 2023. This personal experience led to a surge in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests being sought by hundreds of thousands of men.
Despite his campaign, a recent consultation recommended screening only for men with specific genetic predispositions and a family history of relevant cancers. Hoy finds this approach illogical, suggesting that the powers that be would rather deny potential knowledge to a larger group to avoid the risks of unnecessary treatment, such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction, for those at no immediate risk of dying from the disease.
"Surely we're better off having information, being educated about what that means and then either having treatment or not," Hoy stated in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine. "That’s your own decision, and your information, to deal with. I just find it infuriating."
He expressed a sentiment that there was never a genuine interest in implementing universal screening, despite an initial period where momentum seemed to build. "Nobody wanted it," he said, emphasizing his disbelief that the current approach is to "sit on our hands and do nothing and let 10,000 men get the same news I was told."
Across the UK, approximately 64,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, with Scotland accounting for over 5,000 of these cases. The disease recently claimed the life of broadcaster Dermot Murnaghan, who died at 68 after being diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer a year prior.
Hoy paid tribute to Murnaghan, describing him as a "kind and gracious man" and a significant figure during his own health journey. He lamented Murnaghan's passing, calling prostate cancer a "cruel disease" for which Murnaghan had tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness and funds.
A Scottish Government spokesperson acknowledged the advocacy of Sir Chris and other campaigners, stating a shared desire to improve detection rates for the disease. The government indicated that it takes advice from the UK National Screening Committee, an independent expert group that influences screening policy. The spokesperson noted that while a sufficiently accurate test and treatment for early-stage prostate cancer suitable for a national screening program are not yet available, the government awaits the results of the UK Transform trial, which is expected to be applicable in Scotland.
