David Cameron reveals shock moment doctors told him he had cancer

David Cameron reveals shock moment doctors told him he had cancer Barney Davis Published November 23, 2025 9:26pm Updated November 23, 2025 9:27pm Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook Comment now Comments Lord David Cameron revealed he was diagnosed three years ago (Photo by Hoda Davaine/Getty Images for Cornbury House Horse Trials)

David Cameron has revealed he found out he had prostate cancer after his wife urged him to get himself checked.

The former prime minister, 59, was given the all-clear, after undergoing ‘focal’ therapy, which uses electric pulses to destroy the cancerous cells rather than more invasive chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Cameron revealed the terrifying moment doctors said he had cancer three years ago after his wife Samantha made him go for tests.

He had gone for a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test to detect for proteins which came out ‘worryingly high’.

He said: ‘You always hope for the best. You have an MRI scan with a few black marks on it. You think, ‘Ah, that’s probably OK.’

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‘But when the biopsy comes back, and it says you have got prostate cancer? You always dread hearing those words.

Samantha Cameron urged her husband to get tested (Picture: Getty)

‘And then literally as they’re coming out of the doctor’s mouth you’re thinking, “Oh, no, he’s going to say it. He’s going to say it. Oh God, he said it.”

Now he is pushing for a national programme of testing to detect the deadly disease that claims the lives of 12,000 Brits a year, earlier.

He said: ‘I would feel bad if I didn’t come forward and say that I’ve had this experience. I had a scan.

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‘It helped me discover something that was wrong. It gave me the chance to deal with it.’

What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?

In many cases, prostate cancer doesn’t cause any symptoms at all. The best way of detecting prostate cancer early is with a PSA blood test, this can be done even in the absence of symptoms.

However, there are a number of warning signs you can should keep an eye out for, most of which are to do with urination. Problems with urinating can often be one of the first signs that something is wrong, especially if the cancer is pressing on or growing near the urethra.

Professor Hashim Ahmed, a Consultant Urological Surgeon at Cromwell Hospital, told Metro: ‘It’s really important that men speak to their GP as soon as possible, if they notice any changes to their urine.’

7 signs of prostate cancer

1. Needing to pee more frequently, often during the night 

You’ll know what’s normal to you but, if you start needing to urinate more often during the day, get a sudden urge to go or needing to get up during the night it can be a sign that your prostate has enlarged or of something else that is wrong such as a UTI.

2. Straining or difficulty starting urinating 

As well as needing to urinate more often, men tend to find that when they get to the toilet, they have problems starting to urinate. This may be because the enlarged prostate or tumour is blocking the urine flowing through to the urethra.

3. A weak flow of urine

A weak flow of urine can occur if the cancer is pressing on the urethra, meaning not all the urine in the bladder is able to pass. It may also mean that your bladder doesn’t feel empty and you need to go more frequently.

4. Difficulty to stop when peeing or dribbling urine 

Similarly to finding it difficult to start urinating, men might also find it difficult to stop urinating once they’ve started, or may find they dribble urine after they’ve finished peeing.

5. Feeling like you’re not able to fully empty your bladder 

As with other symptoms, this may be caused because the tumour or enlarged prostate is blocking the urine flowing through the urethra.

6. Blood in urine 

Blood in the urine can be a key sign that something is wrong. Even if it is only a small amount of blood, it is really important that this is checked by your GP as soon as possible.

7. Erectile problems 

This can include difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, painful ejaculation, blood in the semen and decreased volume of ejaculation.

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