David Cameron has revealed that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The former UK Prime Minister revealed that he got to know about the disease after his wife Samantha urged him to have tests in 2022.
The 59-year-old told The Times that he and his wife, Samantha, had listened to an interview with Nick Jones, the founder of the Soho House group, in which Jones spoke about undergoing a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test in 2022. Inspired by that discussion, Samantha urged Cameron to raise the subject with his GP during a routine health check, highlighting the importance of proactive conversations about health and early detection.
He said: “You always hope for the best. You have an MRI scan with a few black marks on it. You think, ‘Ah, that’s probably OK.’
“But when the biopsy comes back, and it says you have got prostate cancer? You always dread hearing those words.
“And then literally as they’re coming out of the doctor’s mouth you’re thinking, ‘Oh, no, he’s going to say it. He’s going to say it. Oh God, he said it.’”
The former Conservative leader emphasised that encouraging men to undergo prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing could be a life-saving step. He noted that such proactive health measures have the potential to prevent countless deaths among the approximately 12,000 men in the UK who lose their lives each year to prostate cancer, the country’s deadliest male cancer.
He told The Times: “I would feel bad if I didn’t come forward and say that I’ve had this experience. I had a scan. It helped me discover something that was wrong. It gave me the chance to deal with it.”
According to the NHS, Prostate cancer is most common in men over the age of 50 or from a Black African or Caribbean background. Anyone with a prostate can get it.
It does not usually have any signs or symptoms at first. Later signs may include back, hip or pelvis pain, or difficulty maintaining an erection. You may also have problems peeing, but this could be a sign of other prostate problems.
The former Prime Minister has voiced strong support for a renewed campaign to introduce prostate cancer screening for men considered most at risk, stressing that scientific advances now provide clear justification for such measures.
Speaking to The Times, Cameron argued that new technology has significantly improved the accuracy and effectiveness of early testing, changing the calculations around its benefits. He believes this progress makes the case for a national screening programme not only compelling but urgent, with the potential to save thousands of lives through earlier detection and treatment.
