Coventry man's warning to get tested as £42m prostate cancer screening trial starts
Michael Bolton caught his prostate cancer early after asking for a test
A man from Coventry who had a lucky early diagnosis for prostate cancer is urging men not to waste time in getting tested - even as a new screening trial begins.
Michael Bolton was turning 50 in 2022 when he heard someone from Prostate Cancer UK urging men to get tested. When he visited his GP he asked for a test, and was diagnosed days later.
Michael said: "It saved my life - if it had been another 12 months they wouldn't have been able to take the prostate out because the cancer would've escaped - and at that point you have to live with it."
After a successful surgery to remove his prostate, Michael has been able to make a full recovery.
The new screening trial will be the first time men will proactively be invited to get a prostate cancer test. Up until this point, the system relied on men coming forward to request a test from their GP.
Michael said: "Just ask for that test next time you're at the GP. The screening process that's being trialled is a massive breakthrough but it's still only a trial and it could take a while to turn into something real."
Prostate Cancer UK announced the new £42m trial, claiming that it could reduce deaths by up to 40%. One in every eight men will get prostate cancer, which kills one man every 45 minutes.
Michael said: "We all know where an examination has to go and it puts a lot of men off. I've had it, and trust me it's no big deal. At the end of it's your health and if you've got family and loved ones and if you want to be on the planet as long as you can, you have to be responsible for yourself."
Prostate Cancer said men who are over 50, black or whose dad or brother have had it are at higher risk. More information can be found via their 30-second online risk checker.