A retired East Midlands GP has teamed with TV legend Nick Owen to prevent prostate cancer being a talking taboo, as East Midlands men fear opening up about the topic.

According to new research launched for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, only 8% of men in the East Midlands open up about their prostate cancer symptoms immediately, vs the one in three men in the South East, Northern Ireland and the South West (33%) who open up in the first two days. Next in line to open up within the 48-hour window are men in the North West of England (32%), East of England (29%), Greater London (23%), South East (19%), Scotland (18%), Yourkshire and Humber (18%), West Midlands (15%) and the North East (14%). 

Looking deeper into the East Midlands statistics specifically, 77% of men feel embarrassed by the warning signs - such as difficulty urinating or emptying their bladder or needing to urinate more than usual, especially at night, with 46% struggling to open up to friends, their partner (54%) or even a healthcare professional (15%). 25% of men remain silent about their symptoms for fear of worrying others and as many as 17% say they simply don't have the time to address it. But this silence can come at a cost to their life. 

The new piece of research from GenesisCare - the UK's leading private cancer care provider- also reveals that worryingly, as many as 41% of men in the East Midlands remain silent about their treatment as they fear the side effects of the treatment - such as impotence and incontinence - something Dr Kanty Patel, retired NHS GP from Derby is keen to tell people, needn't be an issue.

Dr Patel was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2023. He was then treated with zero side effects in as few as five days, having undergone radiotherapy on the MRIdian MR linac – an innovative treatment offered exclusively in the UK by GenesisCare which delivers safe, fast, and effective treatment with limited side effects. 

Now he is campaigning for others to speak up about their symptoms to ensure early diagnosis and enable access to all treatment options. Today, Wednesday 13th March, Dr Patel will feature in a one off 'Deadly Silent' podcast with TV presenter Nick Owen, who was also diagnosed with prostate cancer last year.  

Within the podcast, Dr Patel explains how 'speaking up' is particularly challenging for the Asian community. He says "I have a strong family history of cancer. My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 84 and my older brother was diagnosed with the same aged 70. My mother and sister have both experienced breast cancer as well, so I speak from the heart when I encourage everyone to talk not only about any symptoms you have, but also to ask questions about your family history or to share the knowledge that you have.

"Prostate Cancer is hereditary and it's a topic that is not discussed enough, especially within the Asian community where people aren't open about these matters. I tell my family to look out for these things. Keep aware of symptoms, be alert. The Asian community also often think a cancer diagnosis means death, but I tell them no – if you catch it early and choose the right treatment then early diagnosis helps. I am living proof of that."

The Deadly Silent podcast explores why Patel chose to invest in his care, as opposed to going through the NHS, having worked as a GP for over 25 years. He says, "I was determined not to have a long-drawn out treatment or to experience side effects that are often related to prostate cancer treatments. Radiotherapy treatment on the MRIdian involved just 5 treatment sessions over five alternate days, each one lasting as little as 30 minutes. 

"It was totally non-invasive and I didn't experience any side effects and still haven't to this day. I didn't have to change my lifestyle one bit and I continued with my yoga, walking and playing golf. I even played 9 holes in between treatments! After just a few weeks of finishing my treatment, I went to India for 2.5 months!"

Not one person questioned from the East Midlands was aware of the speed in which prostate cancer can be treated and that they can be treated in the space of just one week, whilst maintaining their normal life.

The research also suggests that outdoor settings - such as walking (30%), playing golf (8%) or at a football match (15%) - are some of the easiest locations for men in the East Midlands to open up to friends and family about cancer concerns.

Jo Hemmings, Behavioural psychologist, says, "This research reveals just how difficult it can be for men to open up about prostate concerns, due to dismissal of symptoms, embarrassment and fear of worrying others as well the treatment procedures they may have to go through. But sharing their concerns is the first critical step in getting advice, treatment and potentially saving their lives.

 If you're nervous about confiding in friends and family, it's wise to choose somewhere quiet and familiar; somewhere you feel comfortable. Taking to the golf course is a great idea if that's a setting in which you are accustomed to spending time relaxing – I'm not at all surprised that this showed up in the research as somewhere people feel at ease opening up about their anxieties. It needs to be a place where you aren't rushed and won't be interrupted."

Another shocking revelation from the research is the number of men in the East Midlands who assume their father never experienced prostate cancer yet never had a conversation about it (23%), with a further 15% only finding out that their father suffered from the disease many years after their own treatment.

Medical experts are urging people to speak up before it's too late. Dr Prantik Das, Clinical Oncologist at GenesisCare is urging people to speak up before it's too late "Health issues can be taboo, especially with men as our 'deadly silence' research shows. Cancer can be difficult to discuss, and many men fear the impact a cancer diagnosis may have on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. By opening up conversations and, encouraging early detection, together with highlighting all available and innovative treatment options, we hope to improve outcomes and help more men live longer, healthy lives."

For more information on prostate cancer symptoms and treatment options visit the GenesisCare website at Prostate cancer: Symptoms & Treatment | GenesisCare UK.