We can save millions of lives

Health Secretary Gray aims to up early diagnosis rate for disease | Chris admits cancer bombshell left him feeling dazed and in shock

- ANDREW QUINN

AN EMOTIONAL plea from Sir Chris Hoy for earlier prostate cancer testing has prompted the Scottish Government to urge a review of screening for the killer disease.

The cycling legend, who announced he has just two to four years left to live, made the call to help save "potentially millions of lives".

Last night, SNP Health Secretary Neil Gray said he had written to the UK Screening Committee in a bid to achieve earlier diagnosis of the killer disease following Hoy's comments.

Gray said: "I first of all pay tribute to Sir Chris Hoy for the courage, the leadership he is showing in talking about his case, which I know will be incredibly difficult for his family to be going through.

"I'm very much in awe of the work he is doing in raising awareness of cancer issues in general but prostate in particular.

"We will obviously take heed of what he is telling us in terms of his story and I'm going to be writing to the UK Screening Committee asking them to carry out a review as to the evidence that is there around the likes of the PSA test, the blood test that I believe plays a part but is not the only part in terms of determining a diagnosis for cancer.

"We'll make sure, in cohort with others across the UK, that we're capturing people's cancer diagnosis as early as possible."

When asked about there being no screening programme in Scotland, Gray said: "Obviously we take our lead from the UK screening committee in terms of what makes the best difference.

"Anyone over the age of 50 who has symptoms or has a family history has the right to request a test and to have a conversation with their doctor about the benefits and negatives of that approach.

"What Chris Hoy has asked us to do is look again at the evidence around whether or not we could be offering something at an earlier stage and doing so on a more national basis.