Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

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Fighting the stigma around prostate cancer

Thursday, 7 March, 2024

In the UK alone, over 48,000 men are diagnosed each year with Prostate Cancer. Statistics show that prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men, with 1 in 8 men said to be diagnosed with the disease on average.

March marks the start of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, with Prostate Cancer UK encouraging people from around the country to take part in their virtual step challenge for anyone who wants to keep active and help beat prostate cancer.

At Bath Spa University, we’re also raising awareness, with BSU Governor Nick Sturge telling us his story.

He said:

“My father had prostate cancer and had treatment 22 years ago. Every 5 to 7 years, I’ve always gone and had a full medical examination. In 2021, I had a full medical – including the standard physical examination for prostate cancer – and everything was fine, very healthy, but the blood (PSA) tests showed that I was slightly above the acceptable range.

The PSA test itself is prone to giving false positives, but I went on to have a biopsy which gives a more definitive answer. I was then formally diagnosed with prostate cancer at the lowest level.”

Nick was 54 at the time and was closely monitored through regular PSA tests. In March 2023, after a test revealed his levels had increased, it was confirmed that Nick’s cancer had spread.

Thankfully, following a successful robotic surgery in December, Nick was given the all clear for now – he will have regular PSA tests for the rest of his life in case of recurrence. However, he remains keen to raise awareness and share lessons from his own diagnosis:

“Of course, I’d had no symptoms and it raises a lot of issues about the need for men to be vigilant. There is stigma and the side effects are a very difficult and personal topic. It was important for me to be able to share my story and encourage people to get checked or tell their loved ones to get checked.”

The recent cancer diagnosis for King Charles III sparked a more open discourse in society for men around their health. A large part of the reasoning for a public announcement was down to the awareness that it would raise, a vital step in ensuring that the cancer loses its stigma and more people get themselves tested and checked.

Prostate Cancer is most commonly diagnosed in men over the age of 45 and Nick is ensuring that the next generation is educated on the risks:

“I’m able to talk to my sons about it and I’m willing to talk about the side effects of it. Any man over the age of 50 should be getting checked and there is an opportunity for an enlightened and less socially constrained generation to talk to their parents and peers about health.”

Most men with early prostate cancer don’t show any signs or symptoms, with an early diagnosis being key to beating the disease.

Thank you to Nick for sharing his story.

You can find out more about prostate cancer on the Prostate Cancer UK website.