Former Newcastle, West Ham and Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has revealed he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, which has spread to his pelvic bone. The 56-year-old discovered the illness after insisting on a PSA blood test during a routine check-up 18 months ago. An MRI and biopsy confirmed aggressive cancer, leading to a radical prostatectomy last December. Six months later, rising PSA levels showed the cancer had returned and spread, prompting medication and seven and a half weeks of radiation therapy, which he has just completed.
Hislop stressed the importance of early testing, particularly for older men and those of African descent. He noted that his own genetic testing showed no family risk, demonstrating why screening is vital even without a known history.
“Please, go get tested, know your PSA, track its history,” he urged, addressing especially Caribbean men, who face the highest mortality rates from prostate cancer. “Prostate cancer is survivable if caught early enough. Testing saves lives. It saved mine.”
His message comes shortly after UK advisers recommended against routine prostate screening for most men, a decision that has sparked debate among health advocates.
