Nick Owen praises conversation on prostate cancer
BBCBBC presenter Nick Owen says famous people talking about prostate cancer has helped to raise awareness of the illness, with the greater profile a factor in it becoming the most commonly diagnosed cancer in England.
The longstanding broadcaster said he was diagnosed with "extensive and aggressive" cancer in 2023, before having surgery. He was 75.
In new analysis, charity Prostate Cancer UK examined NHS data and found that in 2022, a total of 50,751 men were diagnosed, surpassing the 48,531 recorded cases of breast cancer; previously the most commonly diagnosed form.
Owen, a national breakfast TV pioneer, said the illness was "more talked about now than ever before".
Analysis also shows that in 2023, the number of prostate cancer cases rose to 55,033, while breast cancer diagnoses decreased to 47,526.
The data also indicates a 25% rise in prostate cancer cases between 2019 and 2023.
The charity attributes the figures to greater awareness of the disease, leading to more men being diagnosed at an earlier stage.
Owen stated it was "fantastic that all this awareness has come forward now" through the experiences of "high-profile people" such as six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy, TV sports presenter Steve Rider, actor Stephen Fry, England cricketer Bob Willis and broadcaster Bill Turnbull.
He added there were "scores of people" who said they had visited a GP as a direct result of seeing him and "all the high-profile people we've mentioned" discuss the disease.
But while the presenter of news programme BBC Midlands Today said it was "fantastic" there was greater awareness, it was "just slightly chilling to know it's [the] most common cancer now".
"[Men] were getting [prostate cancer] before," he explained, "but we just didn't know about it."
Two years ago, the charity said it had seen a spike in demand for support after Owen opened up about his diagnosis. One BBC Midlands Today viewer last year said he believed he could owe his life to the presenter after his own diagnosis.
Owen said that on television "you talk about health issues a lot and that's why I think I became so aware of prostate cancer".
He stated that from his early 60s he began having checks and it was because he had talked about it so much on air.
Owen, who hosts Midlands Today twice a week, celebrated 50 years in broadcasting in 2023, the same year he was diagnosed and revealed he had a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test that had shown slightly elevated results and his GP insisted that he see a specialist.
That led to diagnosis and surgery.
Owen said while he could get tired now, "then again I am 77", and overall, he was doing "very well".
"I'm still having PSA every six months and so far it's undetectable... My current PSA numbers are negligible.
"You can never say never, but at this stage I feel very hopeful that I've got a few more years left in me.
"[I] feel very lucky, very grateful that I've come through what was a pretty horrible time."
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