Record number of men checked for prostate cancer – as charities recognize the ‘Bill Turnbull’ effect

Referrals to prostate cancer have hit an all-time high in the past year thanks to the ‘Bill Turnbull’ effect, a charity has revealed.

New data shows that referrals – when someone is sent for additional tests or to a hospital doctor – has increased by 17 percent over the past 12 months.

Between March 2022 and February 2023, over a quarter of a million men were referred for suspected urologic cancer in England.

And the biggest jump was seen in November, when more than 25,000 men were sent for further checks.

Prostate Cancer UK, who provided the figures, said they believe the death of ambassador and presenter Bill Turnbull encouraged men to get tested.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of the disease, affecting thousands of British and American men each year. It is most common in people over 50 and black men

Mr Turnbull, who was diagnosed in 2017, said inspiring men to get tested by publicly revealing his own diagnosis was the ‘only helpful thing’ he had done in his life.

He passed away a year ago today, after admitting he was “mad at myself” for not seeing his GP for years.

In the week after his death, more than 61,000 people completed the charity’s online risk checker – a 2,500 per cent increase – to help men understand their risk and decide whether they need a blood test.

The Daily Mail recently relaunched its ‘End the Needless Prostate Deaths’ campaign in an effort to improve the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer, which kills more than 11,500 men in Britain each year.

Bill Turnbull saved my life

Rod Hartshorne, 56, was diagnosed with prostate cancer after being asked to go for a checkup following the death of Bill Turnbull.

Mr Hartshorne, from Ashford in Kent, said his wife had been telling him ‘for months’ to make a doctor’s appointment to have his prostate checked, but it wasn’t until he heard of Mr Turnbull’s death that he went there a books.

Rod Hartshorne, 56, was diagnosed with prostate cancer after being motivated to see a GP following the death of Bill Turnbull

“I will forever be thankful I did because my PSA levels were very high, and after some more testing I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September last year,” he said.

“Luckily I was caught early, had my prostate removed and I am doing very well now. It’s so inspiring to hear the impact Bill’s story has had because I honestly believe that Bill Turnbull saved my life and now I want to do everything I can to raise awareness just like he did.

“My story shows that you can’t afford to put it off. So I would recommend everyone to visit the Prostate Cancer UK website and do the 30 second risk check so they can learn more about their risk and what they can do about it. .’

Laura Kerby, Chief Executive at Prostate Cancer UK, said: ‘It was important to see a response after thousands of men missed a diagnosis during the pandemic.

‘This massive increase in referrals and treatment is testament to the incredible work done by so many to raise awareness, and I thank NHS staff who are treating more patients than ever before.

“From inspiring individuals like Bill Turnbull sharing their story to our national campaign with the NHS, the response has been incredible.

“But we know there’s still more to do, because too many men are still being diagnosed too late and some parts of the country are recovering more slowly than others.”

This year, in honor of Bill’s incredible legacy, we’re asking people to ‘broadcast it like Bill’ and raise awareness about the disease – encouraging as many men as possible to take our 30-second risk check to find out whether they are infected. are at risk, and if so, what they can do about it.’

The latest data shows that England’s pandemic recovery continues, with 20,732 referrals for suspected urologic cancer in June this year – a 21 per cent increase on the same month in 2019.

Meanwhile, there were 6,144 treatments for urological cancer, an increase of 24 percent.

The charity warned that some parts of the country are still lagging behind, with referrals in the Midlands 10 per cent above pre-pandemic levels, compared to the national average of 17 per cent.

This reflects a slower recovery and a much lower percentage of men receiving treatment, they said.

Other celebrities who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer include Stephen Fry, who said he was “baffled” after discovering he had the disease in 2018, but recovered because the disease was caught early.

Musician Jools Holland announced last year that he had been successfully treated for prostate cancer after a diagnosis in 2014.

He performed at a concert organized by Prostate Cancer UK alongside Sir Rod Stewart, who was given the all-clear in 2019, two years after being diagnosed.

The NHS website says the risk of prostate cancer increases as you get older, with most cases developing in men aged 50 or over.

Symptoms may include needing to urinate more often, having to wait longer before urinating, erectile dysfunction, blood in the urine, weight loss, or new and unexplained lower back pain.

After discussing the symptoms, a doctor will likely ask for a urine sample to check for infection and a blood sample to test the level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which can be used to diagnose prostate cancer.