Julian Lloyd Webber ‘very grateful’ for successful treatment for prostate cancer

Cellist Julian Lloyd Webber has said he feels “very grateful” following successful treatment for prostate cancer.

The 75-year-old musician announced his diagnosis in April shortly after he made his return to the concert platform following a 12-year absence due to an injury.

On Monday, he said he was “so thankful” for all the care he received following months of intensive treatment.

Julian Lloyd Webber attending the press night of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s School Of Rock The Musical at the New London Theatre (Ian West/PA)

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He added that he was shocked to learn that men over 50 can reportedly now be refused a PSA blood test which checks the level of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. High levels may be a sign of a prostate condition.

Current NHS guidance says routine PSA testing is not currently offered, but a doctor may offer it if they think you have symptoms. Anyone with a prostate can also ask a GP for a test.

The Telegraph reported last week that new guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will remove that right, with GPs deciding whether testing is appropriate.

Lloyd Webber said: “I am so thankful for all the expert care I received but I was shocked to learn that my request for an NHS blood test might now be refused.

“I would never have discovered that I had prostate cancer without that blood test.

“I feel very grateful and now, after my successful treatment, I can’t wait to start my Irish tour next week”.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not recommend screening all men for prostate cancer because the PSA blood test is not a reliable enough test to screen all men, and said that it would likely cause more harm than good.

It does recommend a targeted screening programme for men aged 45 to 61 who have a pathogenetic BRCA2 gene with a family history of breast, ovarian, pancreatic or prostate cancer.

Julian Lloyd Webber performs during the Classic FM Live at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff (Tim Ireland/PA)

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The renowned cellist is the brother of composer and theatre impresario Baron Andrew Lloyd Webber and took a hiatus as a performer due to a herniated disc caused by the repeated bowing action of his right arm.

The injury was so severe he sold his Stradivarius, thinking he would never be able to play it on stage again.

He returned to the stage for a birthday charity gala concert at the Wigmore Hall in April with a string of upcoming shows scheduled across Northern Ireland and Ireland including Dublin, Derry and Limerick in August and September.

Lloyd Webber, who performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, won a Brit for his recording of Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto.

He was made an OBE in 2021 for services to music.

The Department of Health and Social Care have been contacted for comment.