Former Newcastle, West Ham and Portsmouth goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has revealed he is being treated for prostate cancer that has spread to his pelvic bone. In an Instagram video, the 56-year-old explained that an elevated PSA reading during a routine check-up 18 months ago led to scans and a biopsy confirming an aggressive form of the disease. He underwent prostate removal surgery last December, but six months later tests showed the cancer had returned and spread, leading to medication and a seven-and-a-half-week course of radiation therapy.
Hislop stressed the importance of early testing, particularly for men over 50 and for those of African descent, whom he urged to get checked from age 40. He noted that he had no family history of cancer, underscoring the need for awareness regardless of genetics. Highlighting the high mortality rate among Caribbean men, he encouraged regular PSA monitoring and insisted that “testing saves lives.”
His message comes shortly after UK screening advisers recommended against routine prostate tests for most men, though Hislop believes self-advocacy is key and credits early detection for saving his life.
