Sir Cliff Richard has hit headlines today by revealing he went through a prostate cancer battle. The 85-year-old singer revealed the cancer was discovered when he had a check-up for a recent tour. However, he stressed that it had been caught early and had not spread.
« I was going to Australia and to New Zealand and the promoter said, ‘Well we need your insurance, so you need to be checked up for something’. They found that I had… prostate cancer, » Sir Cliff Richard told ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Monday (December 15).
« But the good fortune was that it was not very old, and the other thing is that it had not metastasised. It hadn’t moved, nothing into bones or anything like that. And the cancer’s gone at the moment. »
The Summer Holiday singer continued: « I don’t know whether it’s going to come back. We really can’t tell with those sort of things. But we need to, absolutely, I’m convinced, get there, get tested, get checked.
« I think we, as men, have got to start saying, ‘We’ve got to be seen as human beings who may die of this thing’. »
Sir Cliff said he is hoping to work with the King to improve cancer screening for men, after the King spoke last week about his own cancer treatment. He emphasised the importance of checks to catch cancer at an early stage.
The comments come after Bupa and Prostate Cancer UK teamed up on an Instagram post last week to talk about ‘three main risks’ of it.
A medical expert was seen on screen as overlay text read: « Worried about prostate cancer? Most men with early prostate cancer won’t have any symptoms. »
She was then heard saying: « That’s why it’s really important for men to check their risk. »
Sharing the three main risk factors, the representative said: « The three main risk factors for prostate cancer are, number one age. That’s if men are over the age of 50. »
Continuing, she said: Number two is if they have a family history. So that is in particular a father or brother in their family with prostate cancer. Or the third factor is if they’re a black man. »
She said men can check their risk of prostate cancer with the risk checker online at Prostate Cancer UK, which « takes 30 seconds ».
The representative added: « You can even print out the results of the risk checker and you can take that to your GP. Sometimes men find that helpful. »
Following up in the caption, the post read: « Are you worried about prostate cancer? Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, yet it often shows no symptoms in early stages. Understanding your risk and knowing how to get tested is essential.
« We’ve partnered with Prostate Cancer UK with the aim to make a real difference in men’s prostate health.
« Together, we want to break down the stigma and embarrassment that can stop men from getting the help they need early.
« This partnership is about empowering men and making sure no one faces prostate cancer alone. »
Sir Cliff described the lack of a national screening programme as « absolutely ridiculous ».
« We all deserve to have the same ability to have a test and then start the treatments really early, » he said.
« It seems to me – I’ve only been for one year now in touch with cancer, but every time I’ve talked with anybody, this has come up, and so I think our government must listen to us. »
The National Screening Committee, which advises governments across the UK, said last month that a screening programme for prostate cancer for all men in the UK is not justified.
They claim only men with specific genetic mutations that lead to more aggressive tumours should be eligible.
A three-month consultation started at the end of November before the committee meets again and gives its final advice to ministers in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, who will each have to make their own decision on prostate screening.
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