A new Times feature reveals that former Prime Minister David Cameron is publicly supporting targeted prostate cancer screening after his own diagnosis last year, a diagnosis triggered simply because he heard businessman Nick Jones urging men to get tested on the radio. His wife encouraged him to request a PSA test at his next GP appointment, which came back high and led to an MRI, biopsy, and confirmation of prostate cancer. 

Cameron describes the emotional journey many men face: hoping each stage of testing will be clear, then hearing the words no one wants to hear. After weighing the “watch and wait” approach against treatment, and mindful of losing his brother to cancer at the same age he is now, he opted for focal therapy, a less invasive procedure that successfully targeted the disease. 

He is now joining growing calls from Prostate Cancer Research and others for a national targeted screening programme, beginning with high-risk groups such as Black men and men with a family history. Cameron argues that modern MRI, genetics, and focal treatments have changed the balance of harms and benefits, making earlier detection both safer and more effective. 

His experience aligns with new evidence shaping the national conversation, including a major European trial showing PSA-based screening reduces prostate cancer deaths by 13%, and the UK’s new TRANSFORM study combining PSA, MRI, and genetics to improve accuracy. 

For Cameron, the message is simple: men are still reluctant to talk about their health, and too many are diagnosed too late. Screening done properly could save thousands of lives. 

Read the full article - https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/david-cameron-interview-prostate-cancer-kmtc2zj78