Jeremy Clarkson's Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: What Are the Warning Signs Men Shouldn't Ignore?
Jeremy Clarkson’s announcement that he has prostate cancer, revealed in the final episodes of Clarkson’s Farm, has understandably started a lot of conversations this week. As a consultant urologist, I’ve already had a few conversations about this, and I expect plenty more men will be thinking about their own prostate health over the coming days.
We don’t know the full details of Clarkson’s diagnosis, treatment or wider health, and it isn’t my place to comment on his individual case. What’s been reported, though, is that his cancer was picked up following a routine check-up and a biopsy, and that the cancer was caught early. That sequence is exactly the message I try to get across to my own patients: prostate problems are common, they’re not always serious and getting checked is almost always the right call.
Why so many men put it off
In my clinics, I regularly see men who tell me they’ve been putting off coming in for months, sometimes years. Usually, it’s embarrassment. Sometimes it’s fear of what we might find. Often, it’s simply that mild urinary symptoms feel like a normal part of getting older rather than something worth mentioning to anyone.
I understand why, but in most cases, the reality turns out to be far less frightening than the patient expected and getting it checked is the only way to actually find that out.
Why early detection matters so much
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It often grows slowly, although some types, more aggressive forms, need prompt treatment. When it’s caught before it has spread beyond the prostate, treatment is generally far more successful.
The difficulty is that prostate cancer frequently causes no symptoms at all in its early stages. That’s exactly why I’d encourage any man with risk factors, a family history, or simply getting older, not to wait for symptoms before asking a GP about a men’s health check and PSA test.
Symptoms worth getting checked
Urinary symptoms become more common as men get older and most of the time, they have nothing to do with cancer. That doesn’t mean they should be ignored. I’d suggest seeing your GP if you notice:
- needing to urinate more often than usual, particularly at night
- a sudden or urgent need to go
- difficulty starting to urinate, or a weak or stop-start flow
- a feeling that your bladder hasn’t fully emptied
- blood in your urine or semen
- pain or discomfort when passing urine
Less commonly, prostate cancer that has spread beyond the prostate can cause unexplained weight loss, new pain in the back, hip or pelvis. These symptoms deserve urgent attention rather than a wait and see approach.
New erectile difficulties are also worth mentioning to a doctor. On their own, they’re rarely an early sign of prostate cancer, but they’re a genuine urological symptom, and one I’d much rather discuss with a patient than have him manage alone.
It's not always cancer
Most of the men I see with these symptoms don’t have prostate cancer. Far more often, the cause is something else: benign prostate enlargement (also known as BPH), prostatitis, a urinary tract infection, or an overactive bladder. Most of these respond well to treatment once we know what’s going on.
This is the important point here, the fear that any urinary symptom must mean cancer keeps too many men away from getting help. In practice, finding out what’s actually causing your symptoms is usually a relief, and it opens the door to treatment that can make a genuine difference to day-to-day life.
What happens when you come in
If you see me, or your GP, about prostate or urinary symptoms, I’ll usually ask about what you’ve noticed, your general health, any family history of prostate or other cancers. Depending on that conversation, the next step might include a urine test, a PSA blood test, a physical examination, a uroflow test, a flexible cystoscopy and a possible referral for imaging.
A PSA test measures the level of prostate specific antigen in your blood. A raised result doesn’t automatically mean cancer; it can also be caused by an enlarged prostate, infection or inflammation. It’s a genuinely useful piece of the picture, but one I’ll always explain properly rather than leave a patient worrying over a number on its own.
Treatment depends on what we find
What happens next depends entirely on the diagnosis. For benign prostate enlargement or other non-cancerous causes, treatment can be as simple as lifestyle changes or medication, and occasionally surgery to improve urinary symptoms.
For prostate cancer, the right approach depends on the type, whether it’s contained within the prostate, how aggressive it appears and your general health. Options range from careful monitoring through to surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy. There’s rarely a single right answer here; it’s a decision I make together with each patient once we have the full picture.
When to get checked
See your GP or a urologist if you have new or persistent urinary symptoms, blood in your urine or semen, unexplained pain in your back, hip or pelvis, unexplained weight loss, or simply a worry about your prostate health that won’t go away.
If you’d prefer a private specialist assessment, appointments with me, Mr Jeremy Nettleton, Consultant Urological Surgeon, are available for men with prostate symptoms, urinary concerns, a raised PSA, or a suspected or confirmed prostate condition.
Jeremy Clarkson’s decision to go public with the announcement of his diagnosis has put prostate cancer back in the news this week and that’s not a bad thing. If it persuades even a handful of men to stop putting off that conversation, or to finally book the appointment they’ve been avoiding, it will have done some real good. More often than not, what you’re worried about turns out to be far more manageable than you feared. The only way to know for certain is to get checked.
Mr Jeremy Nettleton offers private urology consultations at Nuffield Cheltenham, Winfield Gloucester and Spire Bristol. To book an appointment, please contact Mr Nettleton’s team on book@jeremynettleton.co.uk
