Symptoms of prostate cancer after Milton Jones diagnosis

It has become the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country

Comedian Milton Jones has postponed the rest of his tour after being diagnosed with prostate cancer and being scheduled for surgery. Prostate cancer has become the country's most common cancer, after diagnoses of the disease overtook breast cancer in 2022 and 2023, Prostate Cancer UK said.

Data suggests there has been a 25% increase in prostate cancer cases between 2019 and 2023. The charity said this was down to heightened awareness of the disease, leading to more men getting an early diagnosis.

Analysis of NHS data by Prostate Cancer UK found 50,751 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in England in 2022 compared with 48,531 diagnoses of breast cancer.

Chiara De Biase, director of health services, equity and improvement at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “Unlike other cancers, prostate cancer won’t give you symptoms in its crucial early stages when it’s easier to treat, so as a charity we can’t tell you about tell-tale signs to look out for.

“That’s why we do everything we can to make every man aware of his risk of getting the disease and empower him to think about his testing options — so that he has the best chance of getting that all-important earlier diagnosis. Because the earlier you find prostate cancer, the easier it is to treat.”

Most cases of prostate cancer develop in men aged over 50 and it is most common in black men. It is diagnosed using a mix of physical exams, scans and tests that measure prostate specific antigen (PSA) in the blood.

NHS guidelines for England say anyone can request a PSA test if they are over the age of 50, while GPs are currently told to use their clinical judgment for men aged under 50 without symptoms who they consider to be at increased risk of prostate cancer.

Men of any age with symptoms can request a test.

Prostate cancer often develops without noticeable symptoms in its early stages. As the disease progresses, symptoms may emerge, particularly if the cancer grows large enough to affect the urethra or spread to other parts of the body.

Early Prostate Cancer symptoms

In the early stages, prostate cancer typically does not cause symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include:

• Increased need to urinate, especially at night
• Difficulty starting to urinate or straining while urinating
• Weak urine flow or a feeling that the bladder has not fully emptied
• Urgency to urinate
• Blood in urine or semen
• Rarely, pain during urination or ejaculation

These symptoms can also be caused by benign conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so it's important to consult a GP for proper evaluation.

Advanced or Metastatic Prostate Cancer

If prostate cancer spreads beyond the prostate gland, symptoms may depend on the areas affected:

• Bones: Persistent bone or back pain, often in the spine, pelvis, or ribs
• Lymph Nodes: Swelling or pain in the pelvic area, possible leg swelling due to fluid buildup (lymphoedema)
• Liver: Discomfort or pain on the right side of the abdomen, nausea, poor appetite, weight loss, swollen abdomen (ascites), jaundice, itchy skin
• Lungs: Persistent cough, breathlessness, coughing up blood, fluid buildup between the chest wall and lung (pleural effusion)
• General Symptoms: Unexplained weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain in the testicles

These symptoms indicate that the cancer may have spread and require immediate medical attention.