GP shares signs of metastatic prostate cancer – cancer Len Goodman died of

A spokeswoman for Len Goodman said at the time: “I can confirm he died peacefully… surrounded by his family.”

Len was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2009, and underwent surgery in 2020 for a small facial melanoma.

But following his death, reports emerged the Strictly Come Dancing star had died from bone cancer.

Len’s cause of death certificate reads as metastatic prostate cancer that spread to his bones.

Metastatic prostate cancer means the cancer has spread from the prostate to other parts of the body, and Dr Gaurav Sabharwal outlined how the symptoms differ to bone cancer.

The GP, and founder of private medical service One5 Health, said symptoms of bone cancer can include persistent pain in the bones.

The bone pain tends to worsen over time, and it could be so painful at night that it affects your quality of sleep.

Dr Sabharwal added: “The bones can become weak and this can be one of the causes of unexplained stress fractures.

“Visibly you might notice a swelling, lump or redness in the bone which can be located nearby to a joint.”

As for metastatic prostate cancer, people should expect to notice symptoms of prostate enlargement first.

Dr Sabharwal said: “These symptoms include difficulty starting urination, weak or interrupted flow of urine, and urinating often.”

Symptoms can also include increased frequency of nighttime urination, trouble emptying the bladder completely, and pain or burning during urination.

Dr Sabharwal added that blood in the urine or semen would also be a sign of prostate cancer.

These symptoms, however, could be caused by a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland.

Whenever such symptoms occur, Dr Sabharwal recommends booking a doctor’s appointment to get to the bottom of what is happening.

If prostate cancer spreads to the bone, it is indicative of more advanced disease.

“This is why proactive prostate cancer screening and seeking help early, if you have any symptoms, is so important,” said Dr Sabharwal.

Identifying prostate cancer before it spreads means the treatment options available will be more effective.

Dr Sabharwal said primary bone cancer is “extremely rare” whereas secondary bone cancer “is far more common”.

Bone cancer typically occurs following on from:

• Prostate cancer
• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Thyroid cancer.

Dr Sabharwal cautioned: “It can be hard to differentiate between primary and secondary cancers in terms of symptoms that you experience.

“And that is why if you are worried that any of your symptoms could be caused by an underlying cancer you should always seek help from a doctor.”

One5 Health is a private medical service based in central London, which has a strong emphasis on preventative healthcare and lifestyle medicine.

One5Health offers a full body health check with a doctor. A wide range of screening tests are included. Book online here: https://www.one5.health/well-man-check-up-london