PSA testing on the rise: How Chris Hoy is driving prostate cancer awareness

In October 2024, our prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test hit record sales, with more than twice the usual number of men getting a Medichecks prostate cancer screen.

The reason? A certain six-time Olympic gold medallist and national treasure may have had something to do with it.

When Sir Chris Hoy revealed his diagnosis of prostate cancer, it pushed men to take their health into their own hands. His announcement raised awareness on a scale that only the power of the media could achieve.

This article explores:

• Sir Chris Hoy’s story
• How public figures can impact public health
• What’s the link between PSA and prostate cancer?
• The evolution of prostate screening
• Should I test my PSA levels?

Sir Chris Hoy’s story
 

In February 2024, after a journalist got hold of the news, Sir Chris Hoy announced that he was undergoing chemotherapy, following a cancer diagnosis [1].

At 47 years old, the cycling champion went to the doctor with shoulder pain, thinking maybe he’d overdone it at the gym. A scan revealed a tumour. Further scans revealed more. The cancer, which began in his prostate, had spread to his bones — it was terminal [2].

Despite the vulnerable situation of having his diagnosis thrown into the spotlight, Hoy used the opportunity to start a national conversation, advocating for men’s health and resonating with millions.

With the resilience so many cancer patients possess, Hoy inspired millions of men to take proactive steps towards looking after their health, such as booking PSA tests [3]. The symptomless nature of prostate cancer highlighted the importance of early detection. His celebrity status prompted the NHS to consider reviewing their prostate cancer policy [4].

How public figures can impact public health
 

When celebrities are open about their health challenges, they remove stigma, initiate conversations and bring attention to conditions that may otherwise be overlooked.

Sir Stephen Fry has openly talked about prostate cancer [5]. Like Hoy, his journey also began without symptoms after his doctor suggested a health MOT while he was getting a flu jab.

His doctor called him the next day, worried about his raised PSA levels.

After several scans and biopsies, Fry underwent a radical laparoscopic prostatectomy to remove the prostate and surrounding lymph nodes. He was incredibly lucky to detect the cancer so early.

From his experience he urges “men of a certain age” to get their PSA levels checked, bypassing the NHS if it’s an available option. As prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 men, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re not at risk.

Dame Deborah James also used media presence to advocate for early detection of bowel cancer [6]. She was just 35 when she was diagnosed with late-stage bowel cancer in 2016 and passed away 6 years later.

James dedicated the final years of her life to raising awareness of bowel cancer particularly early detection. Bowel cancer is on the rise in young people, and early detection can save lives.

If you’re concerned and experiencing symptoms, you should always talk to your GP. But Medichecks do offer a qFIT Bowel Cancer Screening Test, if you’re looking for peace of mind.

What’s the link between PSA and prostate cancer?
 

Healthy cells in the prostate make a protein known as prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, a major protein present in semen. While some levels of PSA in the blood are normal, if the levels of PSA in the blood are too high, it can be a sign of prostate cancer.

What is a dangerous PSA level?

While a high level of PSA can indicate cancer, there is no generally accepted ‘normal’ PSA level. The reading differs from person to person, and, as your prostate grows in size with age, the amount of PSA released also tends to increase with age.

You can read more about PSA and if you should test it in our blog.

The evolution of prostate screening

 

Currently, there is no screening program for prostate cancer in the UK. Men over the age of 50 may be offered a PSA test if they have symptoms, but the tests alone aren’t accurate enough to rule out cancer.

The next steps are usually an MRI, which is costly, or a biopsy, which is invasive.
In the case of the false negatives, some men may miss life-saving treatment opportunities.
In the case of false positives, men undergo an unnecessary biopsy, running a risk of infection and pain.

And yet, the earlier we can detect prostate cancer, the easier it is to treat. Fortunately, ever-advancing technology means screening techniques are being improved.
The goal now, is to combine techniques with PSA testing and diagnose prostate cancer as early as possible, without the risk of false positives.

AI-assisted PSA screening

Typically, if a man has high PSA levels, the next step is for him to do an MRI scan to check if prostate cancer is the cause.

The problem is, not all MRIs are the same – the age and strength of the scanner and software contribute to the quality of the scan and the chance of spotting cancer.

This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in.

Researchers have collected hundreds MRI scans from over 80 UK hospitals. They will use these to train their AI tool to recognise “good” MRI scans vs. poor-quality images, and recommend more scans or biopsies, where necessary [7].

By making high-quality MRI scans available across the UK, its hoped that this research will contribute towards a prostate cancer screening programme.

Genetic PSA test analysis

Another way AI-assisted diagnosing can help is with genetics. There are over 160 known genetic differences that contribute to a man’s risk of prostate cancer [8].

Professor Rosalin Eeles, world-renowned geneticist, is leading the £1.5 million project funded by Prostate Cancer UK. Researchers will combine AI and cutting-edge genetic analysis, examining the genetic data from thousands of men from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities.

The goal is to spot DNA changes within PSA blood test samples. These genetic changes will reveal how aggressive the prostate cancer is, how quickly it can spread, and will revolutionise the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.

Cancer distinction diagnosis

AI has already been helpful in cancer research. At the start of 2024, researchers from The Pan Prostate Cancer Group published their research revealing prostate cancer is not just one disease, but rather two distinct disease types [9].

Using whole genome sequencing on 159 patients, the DNA of each person was compared with an AI technique known as ‘neural networking’. Excitingly, their findings were the same as two independent studies performed in Australia and Canada — there are two distinct types of prostate cancer.

The hope is that being able to closely study these two new types, the tumours can be classified based on how they evolve. Treatments can be tailored depending on which subtype of prostate cancer a patient has. Unnecessary cancer treatments can be prevented, and aggressive cancers can be treated.

 

Should I test my PSA levels?

 

If you have symptoms of prostate cancer, the best thing you can do is visit your GP.

If you are over 50, or just want peace of mind, you can try our PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) Blood Test, which you can take from the comfort of your home.
 

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