One in eight...

...of us men will get prostate cancer sometime in our lives.

Well, if that stat is correct, 7 of you lucky bastards are in the clear!

My PSA* was tested over a few months, and was fluctuating in the "slightly over normal" range. Though not dangerously high, my GP referred me for further tests.

So I had a flow rate test (You pee into a machine) and internal examination. Again, I was told there's nothing obvious, and was asked if I wanted to have my PSA monitored by regular blood tests by my GP, or I could opt for a biopsy.
I asked for the biopsy - after all, the earlier anything wrong is detected, the easier it is to treat.
Well, they routinely take 8 - 12 samples, in my case they took eleven. Uncomfortable, but not painful, and my pee was tinted pink with blood for about 10 days (this is normal).
A couple of weeks later, I went for my results.
Who do you think I saw there?
None other than my GP - as a patient! No wonder he had "lowered his threshhold" for referring patients.
My results?
Of the eleven samples, ten were clear.
The eleventh showed signs of cancer.
I've since had MRI and bone scans, results in about 2-3 weeks.

But, going by the marginality (is that a real word?) of my tests, I'm hopeful (and hoping) that this potentially horrible condition has been caught early enough, not just to treat, but to cure.
Telling my wife and kids(all adults) has been the hardest part, and they've taken the news harder than I have done.

I still have to tell my mother and sisters, but I'll wait until I know more before giving them the news.


So, any of you approaching a 'certain age' - get your PSA tested, it could save your life.

I'll keep you posted.

Sorry to hear that Bobh, I don't know how old you are, but they do say that most men die with it than from it.
From what you're saying, it sounds pretty borderline, so fingers crossed for you mate. Stay positive.

Fecking hell. What a sh1t Monday morning.

I'm no doctor but as an outsider the fact that only 1 sample showed signs of cancer is (in the big scheme of things) hopefully a good indication.

Fingers crossed for good news.

I'll be 61 on Thursday.

I was told when I got the biopsy results that there were no signs of it breaking out - the MRI and bone scans should confirm this.

As you say, Prostate cancer in itself is not fatal, but it can break out and cancer elsewhere can be.

Some stats I've read-

Over 90% of ALL men with PC survive over 5 years after detection, this excludes other causes like accidental death, but includes those cases where the cancer has already spread.
If you confine the stats to detected whilst still contained in the prostate, the survival rates are ridiculously high, and for much longer than 5 years.

Thanks for sharing that, and very good advice.

From what you have described it does sound as if you have done all the right things and caught it very early. Fingers crossed but you should be fine.

http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

I had a tour of a manufacturing facility last week when they make the tools that go up the old urethra Franklyn to perform prostate surgery.
They are a lot thicker than you would expect. It brought a tear to the eye just thinking about it.
Apparently if they are having trouble getting it up there they have a blade that they can slide up there and pull out to slice the inside of your John Thomas to open it out a bit, as apparently a slice heals better than a 'rupture'.

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Originally Posted by redjk wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:26

I had a tour of a manufacturing facility last week when they make the tools that go up the old urethra Franklyn to perform prostate surgery.

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http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/hehe.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:34

I had a tour of a manufacturing facility last week when they make the tools that go up the old urethra Franklyn to perform prostate surgery.

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Originally Posted by redjk wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:26

They are a lot thicker than you would expect. It brought a tear to the eye just thinking about it.

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Id say these instruments were probably about the same girth as a pepperami.

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 08:50

...of us men will get prostate cancer sometime in our lives.

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Best wishes pal.

All the best Bob. Hope that it goes well for you.

Get tested and stay cheerful guys. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

Good luck Bob, sure it will turn out fine.

I had my PSA test about 6 months ago. All fine, but now I see the importance of doing so regularly.

I realise the NHS is under strain, but we all have to stay well, and it cost a lot more to treat us if we become ill.

Good health mate

What are the symptoms ?

Did you feel anything different in yourself - or was it just a regular check?

Good luck with everything

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:34

I had a tour of a manufacturing facility last week when they make the tools that go up the old urethra Franklyn to perform prostate surgery.

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Originally Posted by redjk wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:26

They are a lot thicker than you would expect. It brought a tear to the eye just thinking about it.

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Fingers (and legs) crossed you won't need it anyway.

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Jimmy wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 11:12

What are the symptoms ?

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Pro-active screening is the ONLY way to be sure of catching this condition early.

Scan results!!

First, the bone scan.
They inject a mildly radioactive substance into a vein, then you go away for a couple of hours, then they do a scan. The radioactive stuff collects at cancers, so they show up.
This was NORMAL.
The cancer has not spread out. Phew! http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

The MRI scan.
This is meant to see exactly where and how big the cancer is.
Noisy, but painless.

Apparently, the cancer is too small to show up. Another http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif , but it does rule out some forms of treatment, specifically,if they can't pin-point the cancer, they can't do brachytherapy (injecting targeted radioactive beads to kill the cancer).
So I'm in line to receive a combo of radiotherapy and hormone treatment. Should be painless, but will be a pain in the arse as I have to visit Velindre on a daily basis for about six weeks.
But I can put up with that, as I should be cancer-free well before Christmas! Wha-hey!! http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif
I shouldn't really say that, though - I'll have to be monitored regularly for several weeks/months before that is official, and then monitored for the rest of my natural.



But if nothing else, this thread might convince some of you to talk to your GPs about screening - a simple blood test to monitor your PSA.

Catch the beast early - it could save your life.

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:15

Scan results!!

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That's great news , good luck. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:15

Scan results!!

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Good luck with it all mate. Very selfless to be thinking of others whilst going through it yourself. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:34

I had a tour of a manufacturing facility last week when they make the tools that go up the old urethra Franklyn to perform prostate surgery.

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Originally Posted by redjk wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 10:26

They are a lot thicker than you would expect. It brought a tear to the eye just thinking about it.

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Made me think of that small fish in South America which swims up your piss if you slash in the river and then gets lodged in your penis. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/sad.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:15

Scan results!!

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Great news, all the best Bob. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/smiley.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:15

Scan results!!

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Best of luck, but I'm sure everything will be okay - although I'm certain there have been times when it seemed far from the case, you're, almost certainly, better off going through all of this than you would have been if you had just carried on in blind ignorance.

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:15

Scan results!!

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Last week I was discharged.

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 16:44

What are the symptoms ?

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Jimmy wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 11:12

Did you feel anything different in yourself - or was it just a regular check?

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but, as the piece says. there is a benign enlargement of the prostate which produces the same sort of symptoms. Also, when I was doing a lot of research last year, I read about plenty of men who had no noticeable symptoms being diagnosed with cancer, so, as Bob says, it's probably best for all men over a certain age to ask for the simple blood test which can be carried out at your local surgery.

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:52

What are the symptoms ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 16:44

Did you feel anything different in yourself - or was it just a regular check?

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Jimmy wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 11:12

Good luck with everything

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And the good old trusty digital exam. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

Good news http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

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Originally Posted by rs3100 wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 15:38

What are the symptoms ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by the other bob wilson wrote on Tue, 21 July 2015 14:52

Did you feel anything different in yourself - or was it just a regular check?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 16:44

Good luck with everything

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jimmy Jimmy wrote on Mon, 13 July 2015 11:12

There are no easy symptoms to recognise, which is why some men don't find out until it's too late, and already spread.

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That's true. Reliance on the PSA test alone is not sufficient as false negatives are not uncommon. Not a very pleasant experience of course! I get a PSA test plus the "old trusty digital examination" done every year.

Little update.

I spoke to the oncologist yesterday about my treatment.
He confirmed that the cancer was too small to see in the scan, and that only one biopsy of eleven showed it, but under a microscope, it's an agressive little sod.(Napoleon complex?)
So I've been put on hormone treatment to suppress it.
(What's a hormone? - " Is that all you're paying?" http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/hehe.gif )

(I just hope I don't grow http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/boobs.gif )

This has to be done by tablet and injection before they do the radiotherapy, which is now unlikely to start until October, or even November. However, he also said that it's likely to be over in four weeks instead of the usual six. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

I was also asked to take part in a research survey, due to my relatively young age at diagnosis (60? young?)
This will simply be a lifestyle and family history questionnaire, and some blood and DNA samples .
Seems they have a project to investigate whether a gene is responsible, at least in part.
Of course, I agreed. Anything to help tackle this common problem, and maybe help eradicate it in the future.

All for now.

Best of luck

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Wed, 12 August 2015 09:09

Little update.

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All the best with your treatment bobh, sounds like you spotted it nice and early.

Another update.


There has been a longer wait than I expected to start radiotherapy.

I had to have a month' worth of hormone tablets, (which gave me the sh*ts http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/sad.gif ), followed by monthly hormone injections, (which didn't http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_...masthumbup.gif )

This was well worth it as my PSA level had gone up to 8.2 in August, but is now down to normal ! http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/ayatollah.gif

This means that the cancer has been beaten back, though obviously could return without further treatment.

I had a "planning" sessionn up at Velindre last week.
I had to get there, then give myself an enema (yuk!), wait twenty mins for it to take effect, then drink lots of water.
(Have to have an empty bowel, but full bladder, see http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/hehe.gif
)
I was then scanned, and a computer calculates where to direct the radio beams.

I was then tattooed !!! Only three dots the size of a full stop, one on each hip and my belly. These will be used in each 'proper'session to direct the beams accurately.

To ensure that these dots stay accurate, I have to repeat the empty bowel/full bladder thing every visit http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/yikes.gif

I start proper sessions in January.
With the cancer already on the retreat, I'm well confident that it will be eradicated after the radiotherapy. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_...masthumbup.gif http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_...masthumbup.gif http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_...masthumbup.gif

Post again in Jan.
All for now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 14 December 2015 11:06

Another update.

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Good luck Bob

That's good news Bob, hope the treatment continues to be successful http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

All the best Bob.

Well, just had my final session of radiotherapy. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif
Apparently it goes on working for several weeks, and whilst I believe it has been successful, I won't find out for sure until a follow-up appt in April, which includes blood tests.


The small price I had to pay for this course of treatment is that it slightly irritates both bowel and bladder, so I have to ensure that I stay withing range of a loo. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/sad.gif


But if it works, who cares about a short bout of <s>diarr</s> <s>dior</s> shits. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/hehe.gif


If nothing else, I hope this thread will encourage any man of a certain age to get tested (you can ask your GP for a PSA test at age 50 onwards )

Catching this bugger early is the key to beating it http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

Good luck bob http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

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Originally Posted by bobh wrote on Mon, 01 February 2016 13:02

Well, just had my final session of radiotherapy. http://www.ccmb.co.uk/images/smiley_icons/thumbup.gif

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Well done you, and great advice at the end there!

Just got back from my follow-up consultation.

Yeeeee Haaaaaaaa!

I'm clear!:thumbup:
:kev::malky:

Obviously, I'll be monitored for probably the rest of my life, but for now I'm clear.

If nothing else, I hope this thread has either urged "men of a certain age" to get tested, or reassured anyone going through treatment that there is hope.

Good for you bob, well done! :ayatollah:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bobh

Just got back from my follow-up consultation.

Yeeeee Haaaaaaaa!

I'm clear!:thumbup:
:kev::malky:

Obviously, I'll be monitored for probably the rest of my life, but for now I'm clear.

If nothing else, I hope this thread has either urged "men of a certain age" to get tested, or reassured anyone going through treatment that there is hope.

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Great news mate. :thumbup:

That's great news, well done Bob :-)