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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Jacob Stolworthy

Blackadder star debunks common prostate cancer test misconception

  • Sir Tony Robinson , the 79-year-old Blackadder star, has spoken out to correct a common misconception about prostate cancer testing, explaining that the “finger up the bum” check is no longer the primary diagnostic method.
  • Robinson, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer around 13 years ago, said on the podcast A Night In With Sally Lindsay that he only recently learned that doctors now primarily use a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test, alongside a digital rectal examination and sometimes a biopsy.
  • He said he aims to inform men about this update, as “so many are disturbed by that idea” of the physical examination.
  • Celebrity diagnoses, such as that of Jeremy Clarkson , have significantly increased public awareness and encouraged more men to seek advice.
  • Each year, an average of 64,000 men will receive a prostate cancer diagnosis in the UK.

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