Rugby fans to get prostate cancer advice at match

Early diagnosis of prostate cancer can be vital

A support group for men with prostate cancer will join fans at a rugby match to raise awareness of the "hidden disease".

The Cotswolds Prostate Cancer Support Group will hand out leaflets and talk to matchgoers at Gloucester Rugby's European game against Castres at the Kingsholm Stadium on 7 December.

Roy Roberts is a season ticket holder and joined the group after being diagnosed two years ago, aged 73.

"My cancer is incurable," said Mr Roberts. "I left it too late to get tested, but there are plenty of people, if you get tested and get appropriate treatment, you can stay around for a lot longer."

He said he felt moved to spread the message to other men that early diagnosis can be vital.

Going to matches I see a lot of men in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s age group and I just look around and think, well, with the statistics, you and you are going to get it," said Mr Roberts.

According to Prostate Cancer UK, the disease is the most common cancer in men in the UK - more than 63,000 are diagnosed with it every year and one in eight men will get it in their lifetime.

Mr Roberts added: "It's a hidden disease, there are no symptoms, particularly the older you get, you think, if I'm getting up two or three times in the night, that's normal; well, maybe, but maybe there's something else that's occurring that you can't see."

He told BBC Gloucestershire: "Online, Prostate Cancer UK have a 30 second test that you can check, to see your vulnerability, so five minutes overall could save your life."

Meanwhile, a major prostate cancer screening trial aimed at finding the best way to detect the disease was launched this week in the UK.

The first letters have been sent out from GPs inviting men to join the study, the biggest of its kind in decades.

The £42m Transform trial is funded by Prostate Cancer UK and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.