OLYMPIC legend Sir Chris Hoy will help “save lives” after his announcement of his cancer diagnosis sparked a surge in internet searches for the disease, charities say.
Sir Chris Hoy, 48, recently revealed he has just two to four years to live after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
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Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy has revealed he has terminal prostate cancer and has two to four years to liveCredit: PA
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Sir Chris celebrates winning the Men’s Keirin Final at the London 2012 Olympics Credit: Getty – Contributor
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The Olympian recently revealed that his wife Sara has been diagnosed with ‘aggressive’ MS
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Sir Chris’s post sparked the biggest surge in cancer searches on the web since the Princess of Wales and King Charles revealed they had the diseaseCredit: PA
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King Charles said he was diagnosed with cancer in February and Kate’s announcement came in MarchCredit: AFP
His announcement prompted more than 30,000 visits to the Macmillan Cancer Support website, while Prostate Cancer UK said Sir Chris’s discovery would “undoubtedly save lives”.
Macmillan said they had seen the biggest rise in online cancer searches in the UK since the royal family was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
King Charles revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer in February 2024 while being treated for an enlarged prostate, while the Princess of Wales shared the following month that she was in the early stages of treatment for the disease.
Six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris first announced in February that he was “being treated for cancer”.
READ MORE ABOUT SIR CHRIS HOY
But a few days ago he announced his full diagnosis, sharing that the cancer had spread from his prostate to his bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine.
Brave Sir Chris told the Sunday Times: “Unnatural as it may seem, this is nature.
“You know, we’re all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.
“Remember, am I not happy that there is a medicine I can take that will ward this off for as long as possible.”
Sir Chris said he told his children, Chloe, seven, and Callum, 10, that no one lives forever, but he hopes to “be here for many, many years”.
In a heartbreaking twist, Sir Chris’ wife Sara was told she had incurable and degenerative MS just weeks before his cancer news.
Prostate Cancer Signs and Symptoms You Should NEVER Ignore, with Dr. Philippa Kaye
Prostate cancer is one of the biggest killers of men in the UK, with one dying from the disease every 45 minutes.
It is estimated that one in eight men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives.
Claire Taylor, chief nurse at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Receiving an advanced cancer diagnosis is a life-changing moment for anyone and our thoughts are with Sir Chris Hoy and his family at this difficult time.
“The incredible courage he has shown in sharing this very personal experience will inspire others who may be facing a similar situation and encourage more people to seek support.”
The charity said it recorded more than 31,000 visits to its website yesterday – 34 per cent more than the average Sunday visits last year.
Men should simply not be diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer… Sir Chris is one of thousands of men in the UK who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer too late
Laura Kerby Prostate Cancer UK
Meanwhile Laura Kerby, chief executive of Prostate Cancer UK, told Sun Health that the Olympic legend’s honest announcement could help “save lives”.
“We want to thank Sir Chris for sharing his experience, because we know that when people in high places share their stories about prostate cancer, it starts important conversations, helps make men aware of the risks of this disease and undoubtedly saves lives.
“We saw this impact when Bill Turnbull spoke publicly about his own journey with prostate cancer and when King Charles revealed he had been treated for prostate problems.
“The more men share their stories, the more awareness there is of this disease.”
EARLY DIAGNOSIS SAVES LIFE
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and surrounding the urethra.
Its job is to help make sperm, and it grows as you age.
Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably.
On average, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year – making it the most common form of cancer in men – and 12,000 Britons die from the disease.
Sir Chris Hoy’s final diagnosis
Sir Chris first announced in February that he was “being treated for cancer
The star went to the doctor at the end of September last year after he felt a strain in his shoulder.
He described how his world “disintegrated in one sentence”.
Speaking about the appointment, he told the Sunday Times he thought: “I’m just a little too old to lift heavy weights”.
After his physical therapist referred him for a scan, he went to the hospital on his own, expecting to be told to stop upper body work at the gym for a few weeks.
“I’m really sorry,” the doctor told him. “You have a tumor in your shoulder.”
A second scan revealed a primary cancer in his prostate.
The cancer has metastasized to Sir Chris’ bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs and spine – meaning his diagnosis is terminal.
Read more about the Olympic legend’s health struggle here.
Despite being the third deadliest form of cancer, prostate cancer can be beaten if detected early.
In most cases, prostate cancer has no symptoms in the early stages.
But some men are more at risk of the disease, including those over 50 and those with a family history of cancer.
You can find your chances of developing the disease using the UK Prostate Cancer Risk Checker here.
Symptoms of prostate cancer usually only appear when the growth is large enough to put pressure on the urethra – the tube through which you urinate – according to the NHS.
EARLY SIGNS OF PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer located within the prostate usually does not cause any symptoms, which is why it is important to know the risk.
However, some men may have started to experience urination problems that start mild and develop over years.
They may be a sign of a benign (non-cancerous) prostate problem rather than prostate cancer, but it’s worth getting checked out.
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Signs of prostate cancer to know
According to the NHS, the six most common early signs of prostate cancer include:
- The need to urinate more often, especially at night
- I have to hurry to the toilet
- Difficulty starting to urinate
- Low flow
- Straining and prolonged urination
- A feeling that your bladder has not completely emptied
If prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body or separates from the prostate, it can cause other symptoms.
According to Prostate Cancer UK, these include:
- Back pain, hip pain or pelvic pain
- Problems achieving or maintaining an erection
- Blood in urine or semen
- Unexplained weight loss
Laura, from Prostate Cancer UK, added: “Men should simply not be diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer.
“Unfortunately, Sir Chris is one of thousands of men in the UK who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer too late.
“One in eight men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, but men like Sir Chris, who are 45 and over with a family history of the disease, as well as black men, have a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer at a younger age.
“The PSA blood test is the first step towards early diagnosis, but GPs are unable to offer this test and discuss prostate cancer risk with men like Sir Chris because of current NHS guidelines, which treat all men the same.
“We believe that no man should die from prostate cancer. That’s why we call on the government to refresh these outdated rules and start saving thousands of lives today.”
Cancer mostly affects men over the age of 50, and your risk increases with age.
If you suspect you have prostate cancer, contact your GP.
It came after NHS figures showed that cancer diagnoses will reach their highest level in 2022, with prostate cancer the most common type.
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What does prostate cancer look like?
OTHER STARS HIT
Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal, 72, has been living with an aggressive form of prostate cancer since 2021 and recently shared an update on his treatment.
Former BBC breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull died aged 66 in 2022, after being diagnosed with the disease in 2017.
Meanwhile, last November Brookside star Dean Sullivan passed away after being diagnosed with the problem in 2018.
Actor Jimmy Corkhill’s agent announced that the 68-year-old actor died peacefully after a short illness.
The soap icon revealed that he did not struggle with many of the symptoms commonly associated with prostate cancer.
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Actor Dean Sullivan passed away four years after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018. Credit: Rex
But he noticed a reduced flow and decided to get checked out after listening to his bowels.
The first doctor Dean saw told them to monitor it, but the second doctor gave him a 30-second exam, which revealed that his prostate was enlarged.
Further tests revealed cancer.
“Sometimes people think they’re bothering the doctor unnecessarily, but we shouldn’t be embarrassed to come back,” Dean told Prostate Cancer UK.
“If I had listened to the first doctor, it might have been a different story, so always trust your gut.
“Eleven times out of 10, you’re right; we still have that fight-or-flight instinct.”
Dean was confident that his early diagnosis helped with successful treatment and warned others to go for check-ups as soon as they noticed any changes.
Treatment usually involves active monitoring, surgery, or radiotherapy.
More than 95 percent of people survive a year after diagnosis, and 85 percent survive cancer for five years or more.
The odds depend on when it was caught. The sooner the better.
Scientists recently claimed that a “revolutionary” blood test was able to diagnose men with prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy in 15 minutes or less.
One in eight men will get prostate cancer
The risk of developing prostate cancer depends on many factors, here are some facts about the disease and how many men it affects.
- One in eight men will get prostate cancer during their lifetime
- It is the fourth most common cancer in the world, and it is the most common in men
- Every year there are 55,000 new cases in the UK and 1.4 million worldwide
- Around 12,000 people die from prostate cancer a year in the UK and almost 400,000 worldwide
- Prostate cancer accounts for 28 per cent of all new cancer cases in men in the UK and 14 per cent of all new cancer cases in men and women combined
- Survival from prostate cancer has tripled in the last 50 years in the UK
- More than three-quarters (78 percent) of patients survive for 10 years or more
- Around 490,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer in the UK
- It most often occurs in men between the ages of 75 and 79
- Since the early 1990s, cases have increased by 53 percent in the UK
- Death rates have risen by 16 per cent since the early 1970s in the UK
- Incidence rates are predicted to rise by 15 per cent in the UK between 2023 and 2025 and 2038 to 2040.
- Death rates are expected to fall by five per cent in the UK over the same years
Source: Prostate Cancer UK, World Cancer Research Fund International and Cancer Research UK
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