LONDON, Nov 24:  Former Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed he was treated for prostate cancer earlier this year, crediting his wife Samantha for urging him to undergo testing.

The 59-year-old Tory peer told The Times that after hearing a BBC radio interview with entrepreneur Nick Jones, who had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, he agreed to a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. Following an MRI scan and biopsy, Cameron underwent focal therapy, a targeted treatment that uses methods such as ultrasound waves to destroy cancer cells in the affected area.

Cameron said he hopes sharing his experience will encourage more men to seek screening. “I don’t particularly like discussing my personal intimate health issues, but I feel I ought to,” he told the newspaper. “Let’s be honest. Men are not very good at talking about their health. We tend to put things off.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, with about 55,000 new cases each year. While a high PSA reading can indicate cancer, it can also rise due to infections, making screening controversial. Currently, men over 50 can request a PSA test, but there is no national screening programme because of concerns over accuracy and potential overtreatment.

Cameron’s disclosure coincides with a major prostate cancer screening trial in the UK, aiming to compare new detection methods against current NHS practices. The initiative is jointly funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Prostate Cancer UK director Chiara De Biase praised Cameron for raising awareness. “We lose 12,000 dads, brothers, sons, and friends to this disease every year. Prostate cancer is the last major cancer without a screening programme, and we need change now,” she said.

Jones, founder of Soho House and a trustee of Prostate Cancer Research, said the story highlights the importance of early testing, particularly for high-risk men. The UK National Screening Committee is currently reviewing whether to introduce a national screening programme, with ministers to decide on any rollout.

Research shows that one in eight men in the UK will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime. Cases are more common in older men and in black men, while younger diagnoses are rarer. Public figures, including Sir Chris Hoy, have also spoken about their prostate cancer diagnoses, emphasizing the need for awareness and early detection.

Cameron, who served as UK prime minister from 2010 to 2016 and later as foreign secretary under Rishi Sunak, said: “I had a scan. It helped me discover something that was wrong. It gave me the chance to deal with it. I would feel bad if I didn’t come forward and say that I’ve had this experience.”