Possibly the best investment

[frank rabbets]

That'll be the PSA test. All males should get their PSA blood test done frequently. A significantly rising PSA year on year means you will almost defo have prostate cancer. Don't think you will not get it. Nearly every male in their 70's has it so it is latent in all of us. If you get it young you will be unaware unless you get your PSA checked. If you get it young and don't treat it you will probably die from it. If the cancer is picked up early it is confined to the prostate where it can be dealt with. One of my best friends could not pee and found he had advanced PC. He said he should have had his PSA checked which I had never heard of. So off I went to have mine done and guess what; I had early prostate cancer. That was 8 years ago when I was 58. Every few years it comes back as shown by another rising PSA so they sap it with radiation or high frequency ultrasound but as it is confined to the prostate they will be able to either kill it or keep it there. I have never found it worrying nor have I ever had symptoms. The treatments are not unpeasant and have had no side effects.

Frank

 

[Charlie]

Frank,
I agree 100% I have lost a couple of good mates to prostate cancer, both of them by the time they found out it was too late.

 

[uHu]

Thanks Frank - good advice - and glad to hear you're ok.
How is the PSA checked?

One related issue is Milk: Research shows that intake of milk products increase the risk of prostate and breast cancer by 30 %. This research was published only this year, but I've been hearing this for a few years now. Cow's milk is for the calf.

 

[Graham]

Thanks Frank,

So spill the bean, How is the PSA checked?

The "John Wayne" hand shake?

Gra.

 

[warrenpfo]

At what age should one start to have thier PSA checked?

 

[Crispin]

It's just a blood test. My father in law had it checked as he was changing GPs. Turns out, he has late state prostate cancer. 6 months into treatment and he is fine. It's still there but hugely reduced. Had it not been seen...

You supposed to do it every year after the age of 40 (or 50?).

Scary these silent time bombs we have.

 

[Ecoman]

Aye your right there. The NHS advise getting a blood test every year after the age of 40. Always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[frank rabbets]

Gosh what a popular subject! I do not know the official guidelines but it is possible to get PC at any age so the approach would be to your GP and if he says you are too young to be tested go privately. The test costs the NHS very little. The normal level is 0-4 . A high reading could be something else. You will have a problem when your level increases regularly. Mine goes down instantly after treatment but then reaches a constant upward climb doubling in every 6 months so then they do more treatment. At my local hospital my urologist said as my initial radiotherapy had failed I would have to be on hormone tablets for the rest of my life but I asked to see a surgeon to have my prostate removed. When he told me the possibility of incontinence I told him then and there that I would not risk it but said I would go anywhere for a cure so he sent me to UCLH London. They are the best place in UK and have the latest equipment which nobody else has. They have a high frequency ultrasound probe which cooks the tumour which I had done last time. As my PSA is going up again I suspect they will offer me another go. They have said as much. For first timers they have the latest radiotherapy machine, not suitable for me, and I think based at another London hospital.
BTW my tumour was .02 c.c. when it regrew after radiotherapy. Amazing what they can see with the latest scanners.
So in conclusion this disease is most often a nuisance rather than a threat if caught early as there are no warning symptoms. And if you ask your man to refer you to UCLH they are the best. My best friend is my GP and he had never heard of these new treatment so he was no use at all!!

Frank

 

[Crispin]

A few guys I know have had brachytherapy in SA which, I believe, is still experimental in the UK but freely offered as an option. They are all fine after about 7-10 years (IIRC). Here's to you and your treatment:

 

[frank rabbets]

Cheers Crispin
Yes that treatment was just in a few centres in UK when I had the traditional radiotherapy. It involves injecting radioactive pellets into the prostate to hopefully keep collateral damage to a minimum. Once you have had prostate radiotherapy you cannot have it again and also it is difficult to remove the prostate after radiotherapy without having incontinence etc. I could have had my prostate out initialy instead of radiotherapy but there was not much difference in the risks and chances of reccurence. I think future treatment will be the new radiotherapy machine in London or the HIFU [ultrasound] machine both of which have higher success rates and less collateral damage than the traditional radiotherapy or surgery still offered at the local hospitals. I was very lucky to end up in London. They now know me so well that they even do my follow up appointments by email and email me when they have had my case conferences.

All this treatment is only offered so long as the tumour is still confined to the prostate. Once it has escaped there is no point in prostate treatment other than to remove the tumour if you cannot do a pee due to its' size.

All good fun

Frank

 

[joinerman]

30 months ago i had a "TURP" which is in laymans terms is a rebore through the prostate to enable you to pee again, in hosp for four days & i was told you'll be fine in a couple of weeks, yeh right i was really ill for two years & even today i'm still not right, funny old thing the prostate.

 

[TonyP]

Thanks for posting this Frank, defo something I need to look into