Sir Chris Hoy has spoken out about his terminal cancer diagnosis, saying he had “no symptoms, no warnings, nothing. All I had was a pain in my shoulder and a little bit of pain in my ribs.”

Since the Olympian first revealed his diagnosis just over two weeks ago, NHS England has revealed an almost 700% increase in searches for prostate cancer symptoms.

Mr Hoy is hoping that by sharing his story, more men will come forward to get a blood test to check for prostate cancer.

He is also hoping to see screening for men with a genetic history of the illness to start earlier.

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More: Sir Chris Hoy urges men with a family history of prostate cancer to get checked

Both Mr Hoy’s father and grandfather had prostate cancer – and while one in eight men develop prostate cancer in their lifetime, having a genetic history of the illness makes it more likely.

Here’s everything you need to know about symptoms, testing and treatment.

Symptoms

Prostate cancer is a disease which affects the prostate gland – a small gland which is found in the pelvis and is part of the male reproductive system.

It typically affects men aged 50 and above and more than 52,000 men are diagnosed every year, according to Prostate Cancer UK.

In its early stages, prostate cancer usually doesn’t cause any symptoms, which makes catching the disease earlier a bit tricky.

However, according to the NHS, some men might experience urinary problems such as an increased need to pee, straining while you pee or a feeling that your bladder has not fully emptied.

It is important to note that these symptoms are not only caused by cancer – they can also be caused by benign prostate problems.

So, if you’re having any urinary problems, it’s best to get them checked out by your GP.

Testing

There are a number of different ways that your doctor may test for prostate cancer.

These can include a blood test, a physical exam of the prostate, an MRI scan or a biopsy.

Blood tests for prostate cancer are known as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests and can help detect early stages of the disease.

They are not currently routinely used as results can be unreliable – PSA levels can be raised by other non-cancerous conditions.

A secondary testing method, such as an MRI scan, is usually used to confirm if high PSA levels are indicative of cancer.

The PSA test is currently available for men over 50, however Sir Chris Hoy believes the blood test should be made available for younger men with a family history of prostate cancer.

“Catch it before you need to have any major treatment,” he told the BBC.

“To me it seems a no-brainer. Reduce the age, allow more men to just go in and get a blood test.”

Treatment

Treatment varies depending on the stage of the illness as well as the health and age of the individual.

If you do get diagnosed with prostate cancer, you might not always need treatment.

Some prostate cancers progress very slowly and may not show symptoms or have an impact on the body for decades – doctors will sometimes suggest ‘active surveillance’ of the cancer if it is caught at an early stage and not causing symptoms.

It can also be cured at early stages either by having an operation to remove the prostate itself or by radiotherapy.

If the cancer is found at a later stage and has spread to other parts of the body, as is the case for Sir Chris Hoy, treatment will focus on relieving any symptoms and helping people live as long as possible.

Other forms of treatment at advanced stages can include hormone treatment to slow the growth of the cancer.