BBC Sport presenter Kenny Macintyre reveals his prostate cancer diagnosis

BBC Radio Scotland sports broadcaster Kenny Macintyre has revealed that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The 57-year-old announced the news on air during Off the Ball while speaking to hosts Tam Cowan and Stuart Cosgrove.

Kenny, from Dunblane, said he pushed for testing every three months because of his family history – three of his uncles had the disease. You will receive treatment soon.

Its announcement comes as a UK expert body recommended that only men with a confirmed genetic risk of prostate cancer should be screened for the disease.

The UK’s National Screening Committee, which advises governments across the country, has said no to screening except in men with specific genetic mutations that lead to more aggressive tumours.

Tests to detect the disease are unreliable and can lead to men receiving treatment for a slow-growing cancer that will not cause them any harm.

The treatment itself can also lead to incontinence and impotence, which can significantly affect quality of life.

Speaking on Off the Ball on Saturday morning, Kenny urged men over 50 who have a family history of prostate cancer to push for regular PSA testing, a blood test that measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein produced by the prostate gland.

As a result of Kenny’s regular testing, an increasing trend was detected in his overall PSA level, leading to an MRI and biopsy that confirmed the presence of cancer.

“It’s obviously not the news that anyone wants to be told, but I’m very lucky to have caught it early, and I think it’s only because I pushed for regular testing,” he said.

“I had absolutely no symptoms and all tests indicated that everything was normal. If it had not been for the regular checks, which revealed the increasing trend in my PSA levels, things could be very different.”

He said his bosses at the BBC had been “fantastic” but told the program how difficult it was to tell his sons about the possibility of him having prostate cancer.

“I have a great family, great friends, brilliant colleagues, from journalists to experts and commentators, but my children are my world and I had to tell them,” he said.

“That was hard. Then they did a biopsy and they told me I had cancer. I felt like I knew, but when they tell you it’s surreal. But the kids have been amazing.

“I consider myself lucky because I was aggressive. If you have a family history, even if you don’t have symptoms, push for regular testing and see if there’s a trend there. If there is, push for an MRI and, if necessary, a biopsy.”

He added: “As things stand, I have a number of treatment options available to me, which will probably mean a period away from the airwaves at some point, but now I’m just taking each day as it comes and getting on with my life.

“I’m lucky to have such strong support around me – my family, work colleagues and NHS staff have been brilliant.”

Hayley Valentine, director of BBC Scotland, said: “We’re sorry to hear Kenny’s news but we applaud him for making the decision to share it with our listeners in the hope it can encourage more men to get checked.

“Kenny has the full support of BBC Scotland and I know listeners will join me in wishing him all the best.”

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and kills 12,000 people across the UK each year.

Six-time Olympic cycling gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy, who has terminal prostate cancer, said he was “disappointed and saddened” that screening was not likely to be offered more widely.

“I know, first-hand, that by sharing my story following my own diagnosis two years ago, many, many lives have been saved. Early detection and diagnosis saves lives,” the Scot said.

Prostate Cancer UK said the committee’s recommendation “would be a blow” to tens of thousands of men. However, Cancer Research UK said it supported the experts’ advice.

There will be a three-month consultation before the committee meets again and gives its final advice to the ministers of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, who will each make their own decision on prostate screening.

Kenny Macintyre presents Open All Mics on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC One Scotland on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound.