Expert reveals 'missed' prostate cancer signs and symptoms after Giles Coren diagnosis

Prostate cancer is now the most common in England, new research has found.

This week, charity Prostate Cancer UK said diagnoses of the disease had overtaken breast cancer in 2022 and 2023, making it England’s most common cancer. 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. The figures increased again in 2023, with 55,033 people receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis compared with 47,526 breast cancer cases.

On Friday, food critic Giles Coren became the latest high-profile figure to reveal they had been diagnosed with the disease, after figures such as Chris Hoy, who revealed last year he had a terminal diagnosis.

Coren, 55, said he had “to demand, literally demand, a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test along with my annual cholesterol check, because not only is it not mandatory on the NHS but your GP is not even allowed to suggest it unless you have symptoms,” he claimed.

The NHS website says a PSA test checks the level of prostate specific antigen in your blood, with high levels indicating a potential prostate condition.

Coren said the test “came back a bit high” and revealed he had only asked for it because of the work done by celebrities including Stephen Fry, the late Bill Turnbull – and more recently Sir Chris Hoy, who revealed his prostate cancer was terminal in 2024.

Prostate Cancer UK says “normal” PSA levels are usually less than 3ng/ml but adds that this varies, with levels depending on factors such as age and medication use.

After his test presented a score of four Coren was