A 40-year-old Scottish construction worker has been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer after weeks of what he and his doctor assumed were ordinary aches from manual labour, highlighting how the disease can present subtly in younger men. Grant Learmont, a father of two from Dumfries who runs his own building business and had been active in running and football, received the diagnosis on Valentine’s Day after scans revealed cancer had spread widely and caused bone disease.
Learmont first sought medical attention in January after developing stiffness in his back and hips. Both he and his GP initially attributed the pain to muscular strain from his work and sporting activities, and he was referred to physiotherapy. In early February the pain shifted to his chest, becoming sharp with deep breaths, prompting him to return to his doctor. Blood tests showed “abnormalities,” and a CT scan followed. Further imaging revealed the cancer had metastasised to his spine, pelvis, left hip and, later, to his ribs, collarbones and sternum.
“Going to the toilet has been absolutely fine, any other symptom — not a thing,” Learmont told Southwest News Service, describing how bewildering the diagnosis felt after only a few weeks of largely mild symptoms. He and his wife Kirsten, along with their daughter Tilly, 19, and son Shaw, 17, have been left reeling by the news, he said, writing on a GoFundMe appeal that the family moved through “every emotion imaginable — devastation, shock, anger, why me???”
Doctors have recommended an aggressive treatment regimen Learmont described as “triplet therapy”: a hormone injection, oral hormone medication and chemotherapy. Treatment is due to begin in mid-April. Clinicians told him the combination could potentially extend his life by “four to 10 years,” but the outcome remains uncertain; Learmont told the outlet that doctors likened his prognosis to “a needle in a haystack.”
Learmont is now speaking publicly to raise awareness that prostate cancer, although more common in older men, can affect younger adults and may present with non-specific symptoms easily mistaken for occupational strain. “Especially because I’m in the building trade, loads of builders and joiners are always moaning about aches and pains. I want to raise awareness — if you’ve got a constant pain or you’re feeling sore, go and get checked out,” he said.
His case adds to growing calls from health advocates to consider earlier vigilance for prostate cancer symptoms among men under the typical age profile. While the illness is usually associated with men in their 60s and older, clinicians stress that persistent, unexplained pain, especially when accompanied by abnormal blood tests, should prompt further investigation. Learmont’s fundraising appeal and public statements aim to encourage tradespeople and others to push for tests rather than dismiss persistent discomfort as routine work-related pain.