Prostate Cancer

[Archbishop 22]

That's very sad because often it's treatable if caught early enough. There are not many symptoms at that stage so it's important for men of a certain age to have the blood test.

Found out yesterday that the Urology Nurse was wrong to tell me that I just needed ongoing monitoring. She'd jumped to the conclusion because my cancer isn't particularly aggressive. The consultants overruled her at their meeting and decided I need surgery or radiotherapy.

Apparently, they can see from the MRI scan that the cancer is bulging out of the side of the prostrate. Hopefully, they've caught it before it spreads elsewhere.

Although disappointed that I'll be going through unpleasant treatments, I've got consider myself fortunate that we may have caught it in time.

I had some blood tests a few weeks ago, but the GP either forgot to ask for a PSA test or didn't think it was important. I had to ask for it later which I might not have done if my wife who is a nurse hadn't nagged me. You can't rely on the medical profession completely, you have to take responsibility for your own well being.

We found the same thing when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago. It took two or three years for them to realise the lump that she had been aware of all along was cancer. By that time it had broken out and reached the lymph nodes which might have been disastrous. If that happened to her who is a nurse and switched on about such things, what chance have the rest of us got.

If you're a man over fifty press your GP for the PSA test. It might save your life.

If you go down the radiotherapy route the ‘Daft as a Brush’ charity provide a mini bus service to the Freeman Hospital but I’m not sure if it’s still running because of Covid.
Anybody looking for a worthy charity to support then I would recommend this one.

 

[Newton John]

Pleased they’ve spotted it for you hope all goes ok with the OP

You’re right in what you say about the blood tests.but they themselves are flawed. When I had one the results were so high they reckoned I should be dead, I had an infection and fever at the time and put it down to that but they monitored it for a month and even though it dropped a lot it was still above the norm so they insisted on the biopsy which wasn’t a pleasant experience. That came back clear and they put it down to the infection which was frusrtrating but better to be safe than sorry I suppose.

There's always a downside, unfortunately. If I'm honest, avoiding the biopsy was probably the main reason why I turned down the blood test a few years ago.

It's not good you went through an unnecessary biopsy. As you say, it's not pleasant and there is a risk of a serious infection. At least, you have the comfort of knowing that you're free of cancer.

I guess it's always going to be a balancing act between catching cancers early and the risks of putting people through unnecessary procedures.

There was a similar discussion over Breast Cancer where women were concerned about the high number of false positives. Some were angry about it. Also, some criticism of all the pink ribbon awareness stuff by those who thought it was trivialising a serious illness.

For me at least, it has been a blessing that I've found out there's a problem. Maybe, it's too glib to say every man should be tested as a matter of course.