My shock cancer diagnosis at 42 and the simple test that saved me

Diagnosed with prostate cancer at just 42, CEO Tamas Szabo feared he wouldn't see his children grow up. Now he's fighting to save other young men.

Tamas Szabo, second from right with his family. Picture: Supplied

I was pretty devastated when I was diagnosed with prostate cancer when I was just 42.

I was being investigated for about a year for having a high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reading, but none of the tests I had picked up the cancer until I had a biopsy.

The immediate thought I had was that I won’t have much longer to live.

I have a daughter and a son and feared I would not be able to see them grow up.

Part of the reason that I didn’t have a biopsy earlier was because neither me nor my doctors thought I had prostate cancer, given I was so young and I didn’t really have any symptoms other than a high PSA.

I had a bit of pain in the prostate area but I didn’t think it was much to worry about.

After being diagnosed with cancer in 2016, I had a radical prostatectomy to remove my prostate.

It was a robotic procedure that allows for a quicker recovery time.

I knew very little about the disease and was pretty surprised to hear how common it was — although it wasn’t particularly for younger men.

However, it does seem to be on the rise in this age group.

Tamas Szabo with his wife. Picture: Supplied

According to analysis of Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data, the rate of prostate cancer among men aged 40 to 49 has increased from 4.9 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 12.5 per 100,000 in 2025.

Members of the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group are looking into the causes of early onset prostate cancer.

I meet regularly with Professor Renea Taylor, from Monash University, to discuss the research being conducted in her laboratories, and act as a consumer adviser.

Fortunately I didn’t need any further treatment as the cancer had not spread.

I considered myself very lucky, as my surgeon said that the cancer was very close to being “on the move”.

Now, I have frequent PSA tests to make sure cancer is caught early if it returns.

I am passionate about fundraising for the prostate cancer cause, and am chairman of the Biggest Ever Blokes’ Lunch Melbourne.

It spreads awareness,and the branch has raised close to $1m for the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.

Tamas Szabo with his family. Picture: Supplied

I am passionate about raising awareness because I was very lucky to have caught it when I did — and that was all thanks to a simple annual blood test.

I urge younger men to get yourself checked out once a year, with a full blood test including PSA.

It’s so simple and non-invasive, and could save your life.

I get pretty frustrated that there is a debate about PSA testing.

While it may be relatively unusual to be diagnosed with prostate cancer at 42 it is unfortunately increasing in frequency.

Men over 40 should be regularly tested, a blood test is not expensive.

Every person who did not catch the diseases early enough and had to live or die with the

consequences wishes that they’d had a regular PSA test.

Tamas Szabo is chief executive of financial trading company Pepperstone and chairman of Biggest Ever Blokes’ Lunch Melbourne. He lives in Melbourne with his family.

Editorial note: According to the Cancer Council, for those who decide to have prostate cancer tests, the general recommendation is to have a PSA blood test every two years from age 50 to 69.

For men with higher risk of prostate cancer, regular testing can start earlier, it said.

There is no national screening program.

“There is concern that testing healthy men will cause unnecessary harm and lead to treatments that may not offer long-term benefits,” according to the council.

Originally published as My shock cancer diagnosis at 42 and the simple test that saved me