COMEDIAN Milton Jones left fans shocked after he revealed he’s battling cancer.
The much-loved stand up star says he’ll be having an operation in the coming weeks after being diagnosed with , resulting in a number of his tour dates being postponed.
While prostate cancer is one of the most deadly cancers in the UK – the second leading cause of death in men – Jones has confirmed his cancer is “treatable”.
He said in a statement: “I’m so sorry about this, but I need to announce the cancellation of several dates from my ongoing Ha!Milton live tour. The affected shows are in , Coventry, Basingstoke, Sterts, Launceston, , Hexham, Ilkley, Wakefield, Lichfield, Tunbridge Wells, , and Lyme Regis which were all due to take place this .
“This difficult decision comes following a recent diagnosis of treatable prostate cancer. I’ll be undergoing soon and will need time afterwards to fully recover.
“In addition, the summer dates in , Bridlington, Stroud, and will be rescheduled to the . All dates currently scheduled for the autumn leg of the tour remain unaffected. Ticket holders for the cancelled shows will be contacted directly by the venue box office.
“Thanks for your support and respecting my privacy during this time. This decision has not been taken lightly. Trust me, abnormal service will resume as soon as possible and I’m looking forward to being back out on the road again soon—though probably not on a bike!”;
Prostate cancer can be deadly, partly becauseit often has no noticeable symptoms in the early stages, making it difficult to detect until it has spread.
Symptoms usually only appear once the cancer has grown large enough to put pressure on the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the penis (urethra).
The NHS says there are seven symptoms of the disease – many of which could be overlooked:
- , often during the night
- Needing to rush to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
- Straining or taking a long time while peeing
- Weak flow
- Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
- orblood in semen
It's important to note these symptoms don't always mean you have prostate cancer.
Many men's prostates get larger as they get older because of a non-cancerous condition called.
But with prostate cancer being one of the most common cancers in the UK, if you experience these symptoms you should see your GP.
In recent months, several celebrities have publicly revealed their diagnoses of prostate cancer, including six-time Olympic champion .
When Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed withstage four prostate cancer, he had no symptoms.
The sportsman revealed his terminal diagnosis in an with The Times last year.
He's now advocating forincreased awareness and early detection of prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer screening in the UK
In the UK,there is currently no national screening program for prostate cancer.
While the PSA test (prostate-specific antigen) is a blood test used to detect prostate cancer, it's not reliable enough for routine screening.
If a man aged 50 or over is interested in having a PSA test, they can request it from their GP.
Doctors may also perform a DRE (digital rectal examination) to feel for any abnormal signs or lumps in the prostate.
There is ongoing research to find better ways to screen for prostate cancer, including the .
While the wait for screening in the UK continues, it's also a good idea to be familiar with the risk factors for prostate cancer…
