HEALTH minister Robin Swann and former PSNI assistant chief constable Alan McQuillan have joined forces to help raise awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of early diagnosis.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in Northern Ireland with around 1,100 men diagnosed each year.
Mr McQuillan yesterday told of how he ignored some of the signs and was finally diagnosed in November 2021 when the "cancer was well established".
Sharing his experience to raise awareness of prostate cancer and potentially help other men, he said if symptoms "are caught early, they can be stopped or contained to give you years more life".
"For some time I had been having what seemed minor symptoms," he said.
"My father had lived with the slow growing type of prostate cancer for almost 20 years so I just put the symptoms down to getting older.
"I wasn’t really worried and when I was finally diagnosed it was too late.
"The cancer was well established and mine is an unusually aggressive type that kills people quite quickly and cannot be stopped."
Mr McQuillan added: "So if you have any symptoms contact your GP - or if your partner has symptoms, please nag them until they contact their GP.
"Sometimes it’s not cancer and you will have peace of mind that you are OK - but in other cases it will be cancer and the sooner you get it the better your chances."
The former policeman joined Mr Swann on a visit to the Cancer Centre, Belfast City Hospital to meet with senior medical staff.
The UUP health minister said the Covid-19 pandemic had "resulted in fewer men coming forward to their GP to get tested for prostate cancer".
"Therefore there will be men in Northern Ireland right now with undiagnosed cancer," he said.
"So please listen to this message, check yourself and if you have concerns, contact your GP. Do not downplay symptoms or put off speaking to your GP.
"The earlier cancer is detected the quicker it is treated which can lead to better outcomes."
Professor Gerry Hanna, consultant in Clinical Oncology and the NI Cancer Centre’s clinical director, added that "the earlier prostate cancer is diagnosed, the more treatable it can be therefore it is really important to be aware of the symptoms".
"If we know what is normal for ourselves it is much easier to spot any changes," he said.
