What cancer does Sir Chris Hoy have? Symptoms and prognosis

Sir Chris Hoy announced last month the devastating news that he has terminal cancer,

The Olympian, aged 48, told the Sunday Times that he had been given two to four years to live by medical professionals.

He said to the newspaper just over two weeks ago: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature... you know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.

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“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”

Sir Chris took his wife Sarra and their children out of the country after revealing the shattering news. Upon his return to the UK, the cyclist, who conducted punditry duty for the BBC during the recent Olympic games in Paris, discussed in more detail his prostate cancer diagnosis, which has spread to his bones.

"No symptoms, no warnings, nothing," Hoy told the BBC, explaining the diagnosis came out of the blue.

"All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs. [This] ache and pain didn't go away. I assumed it was going to be tendonitis or something, and it was just going to be lay off weights or lay off cycling for a wee while and get some treatment and it'll be fine.

"It was the biggest shock of my life," he explained, recalling the scan which revealed a tumour. "I remember the feeling of just absolute horror and shock.

"I just basically walked back in a daze. I couldn't believe the news and I was just trying to process it, I don't remember walking. I just remember sort of halfway home thinking 'where am I? ' And then I was thinking 'how am I going to tell Sarra? What am I going to say?'"

How common is prostate cancer?

Prostate Cancer UK say one in eight males will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives.

It is most common in men over the age of 75. It is more common in black men and is also more prevalent if you have a close relative who has had it.

What are the symptoms?

The main symptoms are:

• needing to urinate more frequently, particularly at night

• problems while urinating - taking a long time to finish and a weak flow while doing so

• blood in your urine or semen
  

Prognosis

Generally for men with prostate cancer in England - via Cancer Research UK:

• more than 95 out of 100 (more than 95%) will survive their cancer for 1 year or more

• around 90 out of 100 (around 90%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more

• almost 80 out of 100 (almost 80%) will survive their cancer for 10 years or more

Spokeswoman for Prostate Cancer UK backed the calls for earlier testing for younger men. Chiara De Biase said: "One in eight men will get prostate cancer, but there's currently no screening programme for the disease.

"If your dad or brother has had prostate cancer, or you're black, you have the highest risk of getting the disease, and we strongly recommend you talk to your GP about testing from 45.

"Right now, you need to be aware of this and bring it up with a GP yourself. As prostate cancer often has no symptoms in its earlier stages this is leading to too many men getting a late, incurable diagnosis - like Sir Chris."

Sir Chris Hoy: Finding Hope - will be shown on BBC One at 8pm on Tuesday, November 5.