Laura Watkins
T
here are a lot of reasons for those bleak headline figures; men don’t like going to the doctors with intimate issues and don’t like to ‘make a fuss’. There is more junk food, more chemicals, and we’re all living longer. All of these elements need tackling if we are to reduce instances of fatal prostate cancer, with special focus on tackling the fear that some men feel when going to the doctor. If anyone reading this has any concerns at all, please book an appointment with your GP. Although unpleasant, an exam should only take 5-minutes and will most likely result in peace of mind. In the less likely result of a diagnosis, early detection can make a huge difference in outcomes not just for mortality, but in quality of life. Something that many people aren’t aware of is the journey after a diagnosis, something that charity Prost8 is trying to change. Prostate cancer treatments are improving all the time, options available today are less invasive and mean that men with early stage cancer can enjoy better lifestyle outcomes. Sadly, these new options are rarely offered as a first choice and more than 8,000 men diagnosed with early stage cancer this year will receive the same invasive treatment as those with advanced cancer. On the surface this doesn’t seem like bad news, we associate strong measures with effectiveness. However, these invasive treatments can have a long-lasting and devastating impact, carrying with them a very high risk of permanent incontinence and erectile disfunction; as well as the associated psychological, emotional and relationship side effects that these can cause. Paul Sayer is from Southend-on-Sea in Essex and was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his early 60s. ‘My surgeon was strongly in favour of surgery,’ remembers Paul; ‘the radiotherapist told me radiotherapy was better. I was worried about both options – as they’re both
TACKLING
PROSTATE CANCER
KNOWING YOUR OPTIONS IS KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME The top line figures make for bleak reading. This year, more than 48,000 men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, a 44% increase since the 1990’s. 11,000 will die, mostly due to late diagnosis.
pretty final when it comes to maintaining normal sexual function. “I was less scared of having the disease than I was about what would happen after treatment. I was in my 60s, active and happily married. I didn’t much like the idea of having to wear pads in my underwear for the rest of my life. What man would choose that?’ In light of this devastating news, Paul did what many people do and researched options online. This is where he found HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) therapy. HIFU is a minimally invasive treatment that targets the cancer with ultrasonic waves that can be used to destroy tissue, including cancerous cells. They target the cancer rather than the prostate and are successful for many people in the earlier stages of cancer diagnosis. Unlike the traditional invasive surgery, recipients of HIFU have only a 1% chance of short-term incontinence after treatment, 75% of men will have no issue with ‘sexual potency’ and a further 20% will only need over the counter medicine. It seems clear that for those in the early stages of prostate cancer, patients should be offered the minimally invasive and low side-effect option of HIFU. Many are not.
“My doctors were very much against it” recalls Paul; “they weren’t interested in discussing it with me and told me that I wasn’t a suitable candidate.” Not to be deterred, Paul decided to meet with a surgeon he’d read about online, Professor Hashim Ahmed at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Professor Ahmed assured him that he was in fact a perfect candidate, and after insisting his GP refer him for treatment Paul underwent the procedure in July 2018. “I was an outpatient, and the fact it was non-invasive meant that I could just get on with my life. I make sure I get regular check-ups of course, but I’m happy to say that the cancer is gone. “I think it’s awful that if I had listened to my original doctors, I could be incontinent, or my sex life would be suffering. If I hadn’t insisted and done my own research, I would have undergone the standard treatment; this is why I am passionate about helping other men with a diagnosis to make the right choice” As a result of this experience Paul founded Prost8 UK, a charity dedicated to championing alternate treatments for prostate cancer; alternative treatments that are scientifically proven to be effective for early stage cancers. Their aim? Nothing more than raising money to donate at least one HIFU treatment
DON’T BE A PROSTRICH! KNOWING YOUR OPTIONS ISCancer KEY now… Get the facts about Prostate TO A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME Before it’s too late!
