Jeremy Clarkson has shared that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, while a specialist has highlighted five signs of the disease that people should be aware of.
Clarkson’s update has put a fresh spotlight on one of the most common cancers affecting men. In its earliest stages, prostate cancer often causes no obvious symptoms at all, which is why routine checks and prompt assessment of urinary changes matter so much.
Before the closing episodes of the latest Clarkson’s Farm season landed on Amazon Prime, the former Top Gear presenter warned fans on social media that the ending could be a
‘difficult watch’
When the episodes were released on Amazon Prime Video, viewers saw Clarkson speaking to Charlie Ireland and Kaleb Cooper about his diagnosis on screen.
Clarkson, 66, said he had known since May and described the cancer as
‘aggressive, but adding that it is nonetheless at a ‘really early stage’.
He also said he believed he would be
‘fine’
and explained that he would need to be away
‘for a while’
as he recovered.
By the end of the season, Clarkson underwent surgery and later said:
“I won’t know whether it’s worked or not until November probably. The prostate, 10% of it’s dead, the 10% where the cancer is.”
Later, he was shown back in hospital and revealed that
‘some of the treatment has gone awry’.
He then said:
“I’m going to be here for a little while. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Clarkson added:
“We started season five with me in a hospital bed and here we are at the end of season five and I’m back in a hospital bed.
“If this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six. And if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.”
Following Clarkson’s update, oncologist Lisly Chéry MD spoke to UT MD Anderson about how prostate cancer can sometimes be difficult to detect early because symptoms may be subtle or easy to dismiss. In many cases, problems such as a weak urine stream or getting up at night to pee are caused by non-cancerous prostate enlargement rather than cancer, but they should still be checked.
“That’s why prostate cancer screening is so important.”
The first warning sign to watch for is difficulty passing urine. Dr Chéry said this can happen because of where the prostate sits around the urethra.
He explained:
“As prostate cancer grows, it can cause that tube to collapse and make it so the bladder cannot get urine past it. Sometimes, it requires insertion of a catheter to go inside the bladder to remove the urine.”
A second possible symptom is needing to urinate more often than usual, especially if it starts waking you during the night.
A weaker urine stream can also be a sign that something is not right.
The fourth symptom is discomfort or pressure in the pelvic area when sitting, which may feel unusual or persistent.
‘the sensation that you’re sitting on a ball’.
Dr Chéry said:
“As prostate cancer grows, it can start to invade the muscles in the pelvis or rectal wall,”
The fifth major warning sign is blood in the urine, which should always be checked by a doctor. Blood in the semen can also be a symptom. Dr Chéry described this as
‘do not pass go’
and warned:
“Even if there is no pain or it only happens one time, get evaluated to see what’s going on if you have blood in your urine,”
Other possible symptoms of more advanced prostate cancer can include erectile dysfunction, pain in the hips, back, chest or ribs, unexplained weight loss, tiredness, and in some cases weakness, numbness or loss of bladder or bowel control if the cancer has spread to the spine.
Experts say men should not wait for symptoms before thinking about prostate cancer, particularly if they are over 50 or have a higher risk because of family history or ancestry. If urinary changes, pelvic pain or any blood in the urine or semen appear, they should be discussed with a doctor as soon as possible.
