Life with the Lions
Well-known member
Hi everyone!
What follows is a Public Health Message, on behalf of Millwall Online, the best and only forum for Millwall supporters!
I recently had a blood test which revealed that my levels of PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) were high, so my GP booked me in to have an MRI scan. The scan showed nothing untoward, but I was told that there’s a 15% chance that an MRI scan can’t pick up everything (something I wasn’t aware of!) I was sent to have a biopsy a couple of weeks ago, and this morning saw a consultant who confirmed that the biopsy I had, revealed that I did indeed have prostate cancer!
During our chat, the consultant dispelled a couple of things that I had read or heard about prostate cancer, that turned out to be factually wrong! One of these was that excessive night peeing can be a sign or symptom of early stage prostate cancer! I told him that the reason I went to see my GP in the first place was because I was peeing, sometimes 3 or 4 times a night! Knowing that was excessive, and believing the stories that it might be prostate cancer, was why I went to see my GP in the first place!
My consultant told me that excessive peeing during the night is not an early warning sign or symptom that I might have the start of prostate cancer! What it pointed to is that I had a plumbing problem with my water works that needed looking at! He said that apart from having my PSA levels checked, there are no early warning signs or symptoms that can alert you to something being wrong! The only way you would know if you had this type of cancer is if you (or your GP), requested a PSA test, which even then only tells you if your levels are high or low! If they’re high (as they were in my case), my GP wanted a more thorough investigation done, and so sent me along to have an MRI scan.
The consultant said, that at 59, I was a mere teenager compared to the usual number of older men who are referred to him. He said that as soon as a man in his late 60’s, 70’s (or above) walks through his door, he already knows that man has prostate cancer. The reason being is because nearly all men will develop prostate cancer at some stage in their life!
He also told me that he could pick 100 people at random off the street, get them tested, and 20% of them would have prostate cancer, but none of them would have known they had it without taking the test first! If unchecked, and with no signs or symptoms alerting you, the cancer would slowly spread until it would be too late to treat it, and you’d just become another cancer statistic the NHS wasn’t able to save!
Thankfully, the cancer I have is at the lowest level possible at the moment, and the fact that cancer of the prostate is very slow to develop, the consultant said that it’s possible that the cancer might not increase during the rest of my life!
There are, however, 4 options open to me. The first is acute surveillance (which I have already chosen), but if anyone wants more detailed information about the other 3 options, I can put them on here or you can private message me if the mods would prefer that!
Acute surveillance means I will have 3 monthly blood tests to monitor my PSA levels, and providing that each time they don’t go above the number I’m currently at, then in 2 years time I will have an MRI scan to do a more in depth check, and if that’s OK, then I carry on with more 3 monthly blood tests. If those blood tests continue to be OK, then 2 years after the MRI scan I will have another biopsy (which is not pleasant and very uncomfortable.) If that comes back OK, then I guess I continue with the 3 monthly blood tests again, until I have another 2 year MRI scan, and the process keeps repeating itself!
I’ve gone for this option 1, as the other options are more invasive and I’m not overly worried about this diagnosis because I’m grateful that this cancer has been picked up so early.
I’m writing this post because of one particular thing the consultant said to me: prostate cancer can start in men at the low age of 45 (though if most men get it, they tend to be in their late 60’s and upwards.) He also said that males who have prostate cancer, and have a son(s), then they should have their PSA levels checked at the age of 40! There is no national screening test for this type of cancer (as there is for, say, breast cancer), so it’s very important that men are aware of this!
You can take steps to protect yourself by asking your GP if you can have a PSA test done. If he/she waives you away, then tell them that you have been excessively peeing during the night for over a week now, and if your GP believes this old wife’s tale that peeing is linked to prostate cancer, chances are they will send you for a blood test to check out your levels!
I think, when men get to 60, they automatically are entitled to a ‘Well Man’ check up, where everything is looked at, including blood tests of which there will be a PSA test, but in those preceding years (45 - 60) there’s nothing available to you unless you ask for this test, or are prepared to go private!
So, look after yourselves, my fellow Millwall supporters! By doing so, you can live a long life which will allow you to enjoy our club’s next 20 years of success in the Premier League!
Life with the Lions
What follows is a Public Health Message, on behalf of Millwall Online, the best and only forum for Millwall supporters!
I recently had a blood test which revealed that my levels of PSA (Prostate-specific antigen) were high, so my GP booked me in to have an MRI scan. The scan showed nothing untoward, but I was told that there’s a 15% chance that an MRI scan can’t pick up everything (something I wasn’t aware of!) I was sent to have a biopsy a couple of weeks ago, and this morning saw a consultant who confirmed that the biopsy I had, revealed that I did indeed have prostate cancer!
During our chat, the consultant dispelled a couple of things that I had read or heard about prostate cancer, that turned out to be factually wrong! One of these was that excessive night peeing can be a sign or symptom of early stage prostate cancer! I told him that the reason I went to see my GP in the first place was because I was peeing, sometimes 3 or 4 times a night! Knowing that was excessive, and believing the stories that it might be prostate cancer, was why I went to see my GP in the first place!
My consultant told me that excessive peeing during the night is not an early warning sign or symptom that I might have the start of prostate cancer! What it pointed to is that I had a plumbing problem with my water works that needed looking at! He said that apart from having my PSA levels checked, there are no early warning signs or symptoms that can alert you to something being wrong! The only way you would know if you had this type of cancer is if you (or your GP), requested a PSA test, which even then only tells you if your levels are high or low! If they’re high (as they were in my case), my GP wanted a more thorough investigation done, and so sent me along to have an MRI scan.
The consultant said, that at 59, I was a mere teenager compared to the usual number of older men who are referred to him. He said that as soon as a man in his late 60’s, 70’s (or above) walks through his door, he already knows that man has prostate cancer. The reason being is because nearly all men will develop prostate cancer at some stage in their life!
He also told me that he could pick 100 people at random off the street, get them tested, and 20% of them would have prostate cancer, but none of them would have known they had it without taking the test first! If unchecked, and with no signs or symptoms alerting you, the cancer would slowly spread until it would be too late to treat it, and you’d just become another cancer statistic the NHS wasn’t able to save!
Thankfully, the cancer I have is at the lowest level possible at the moment, and the fact that cancer of the prostate is very slow to develop, the consultant said that it’s possible that the cancer might not increase during the rest of my life!
There are, however, 4 options open to me. The first is acute surveillance (which I have already chosen), but if anyone wants more detailed information about the other 3 options, I can put them on here or you can private message me if the mods would prefer that!
Acute surveillance means I will have 3 monthly blood tests to monitor my PSA levels, and providing that each time they don’t go above the number I’m currently at, then in 2 years time I will have an MRI scan to do a more in depth check, and if that’s OK, then I carry on with more 3 monthly blood tests. If those blood tests continue to be OK, then 2 years after the MRI scan I will have another biopsy (which is not pleasant and very uncomfortable.) If that comes back OK, then I guess I continue with the 3 monthly blood tests again, until I have another 2 year MRI scan, and the process keeps repeating itself!
I’ve gone for this option 1, as the other options are more invasive and I’m not overly worried about this diagnosis because I’m grateful that this cancer has been picked up so early.
I’m writing this post because of one particular thing the consultant said to me: prostate cancer can start in men at the low age of 45 (though if most men get it, they tend to be in their late 60’s and upwards.) He also said that males who have prostate cancer, and have a son(s), then they should have their PSA levels checked at the age of 40! There is no national screening test for this type of cancer (as there is for, say, breast cancer), so it’s very important that men are aware of this!
You can take steps to protect yourself by asking your GP if you can have a PSA test done. If he/she waives you away, then tell them that you have been excessively peeing during the night for over a week now, and if your GP believes this old wife’s tale that peeing is linked to prostate cancer, chances are they will send you for a blood test to check out your levels!
I think, when men get to 60, they automatically are entitled to a ‘Well Man’ check up, where everything is looked at, including blood tests of which there will be a PSA test, but in those preceding years (45 - 60) there’s nothing available to you unless you ask for this test, or are prepared to go private!
So, look after yourselves, my fellow Millwall supporters! By doing so, you can live a long life which will allow you to enjoy our club’s next 20 years of success in the Premier League!
Life with the Lions
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