Hi Tim, the question of whether or not your dad had prostate cancer is not as significant as you think. The increased risk as a result of inter-familial link relates to young onset of PCa not just any onset and as your dad was in his 60s at the time, early onset doesn't seem likely. What is much more significant is that your brother was diagnosed in his 50s - this should be enough of a prompt for you to ask your GP for a PSA test now you have reached 40. This will give you a good baseline for future years and help you to monitor any rise as you get older.
As it happens, laser treatment in the 80s / 90s tended to be only for benign problems so if your dad was diagnosed with PCa it may have been after the laser treatment rather than before.
What does dad's death certificate say? If they believed the gall bladder & bowel cancer were PCa secondaries this wi=ould have been stated on the certificate as adenacarcinoma or whichever prostate cancer he was thought to have. If they removed his gall bladder then they would have known whether it was PCa mets.
Just as an afterthought, if you decide that you do want a PSA test now, and understand that should any problems be detected there are implications for you in terms of whether to have treatment, when and which, the GP doesn't have any right to say no. We do have members on here that have been diagnosed in their 40s, sadly some already with bone mets, so it can happen. Your GP may also be able to access dad's medical records.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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Hello. I wouldn't attempt to answer your question as I am not knowledgable enough. But when my other half had blood tests (he hadn't heard of psa and didn't know he was being tested as he went about something completely different) anyway, psa came back at 3.7 he was referred to a urologist. He was aged 57 and was told he was at higher risk as his father had prostate cancer (the old man kind, no treatment needed and he died of something else) his mother had ovarian cancer in her late 70's which apparently also increased his risk. I don't think they would have done a biopsy if his parents had not had these cancers as they said psa was only slightly raised. They said he needed a biopsy due to family history.
Everything I have read says you are more likely to have it if your father was diagnosed before 60. My other half had a slow growing cancer and less than 5% so whether or not there is a connection or not I don't know. He has 4 sons, the oldest is 32 (previous marriage) and our youngest is 6. I will make sure they are all aware of prostate cancer and get tested.
It can't harm to have a psa and gives you something to start from.
All the best.
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T
My estranged father died of metastatic prostate cancer and diabetes, something I did not find out until after his death and my diagnosis, He was 81 when he passed away. We were not close and only met up a few times. We did occasionally speak on the phone but he only ever complained about severe back pain. I went to his funeral but my half brothers and step family never mentioned that he had prostate cancer.
Once I had been diagnosed I spoke to my elder brother (64) and my half brothers (40 & 42)and alerted them to the potential risk involved. My elder brother’s GP carried out the relevant tests and his tests came back okay. My younger brothers GP said they were too young and refused to carry out any tests. I did point out the increased risk to my half brothers but they felt more inclined to take the advice of their GP.
Having seen the amount of younger guys on here with PCa do not let any GP fob you off. Once you have had the test make sure you get the result and do not accept “it was fine” from the surgery ,get the numbers, even if it is okay it will serve as a bench mark for future use.
Thanks Chris
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I would ask for a PSA based on your brother's cancer.
As Lyn says it would give you a baseline for future reference.
My son is coming up for 45. I know he asked for a PSA when his dad was diagnosed two years ago and I shall be reminding him to ask for another just to make sure there is no change.
He already has bowel cysts which I advised him to get checked for following his younger sister's colo rectal cancer and his GP was happy to get him checked on the basis of familial possibility.
We do have younger men on here with Prostate cancer. The earlier it is diagnosed the bigger your choice of treatment, including none at all (Active Surveillance - which is continuous monitoring via PSA and occasional biopsy)
Having said all that, if it was confirmed, you would then have the worry of it and what to do about it. There is the possibility of over reacting and wanting it out and going for the drastic solution, despite the possibility that you don't need to do anything at all.
Only you would know how you would cope with the knowledge of cancer inside you and you just watching it.
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I hesitate to give out too much advice because this an area for the professionals but my own situation is not unlike yours even though I am much older. My Dad died of Prostate Cancer in 1971 aged 57. My older brother was diagnosed at age 70 although it was contained within the prostate and has, touch wood, been very successfully treated. This put me on high alert despite not having any symptoms to speak of - that's the trouble with this disease - it is often asymptomatic.
I had a PSA done in 2011 which was within normal limits for my age. Schoolboy error here - I didn't ask for or take a note of the reading. Make sure you take note of any reading. In 2015 - still with no symptoms - had another PSA test based on family history and it was 7.2 - later investigations showed I had prostate cancer albeit contained within the capsule and intermediate risk.
Research I've done on my own risk of Pca put it at 50% with one first degree relative (father) having died early from the disease and another first degree relative having contracted it albeit much later.
I would get tested and look to get tested regularly - the rate of increase in PSA can be significant as well as the headline number.
All the best but stay vigilant. The earlier any problem is detected the better.
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Thanks to all for the info.
One more thing I forget to mention - I'm north of the border, hence it is NHS Scotland that I would be dealing with. Are their policies the same as NHS England? Unfortunately everything I can find on the English NHS website seems to imply that the odds of getting a PSA test whilst under 50 is slim.
-- Tim.
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It shouldn't make any difference - quote the Prostate Scotland website which identifies you as at high risk and states that PSA screening can be started at age 40.
My husband was diagnosed at age 50 and we were told that our son should be screened from age 40 onwards. Many others here have been told the same or similar - if your GP refuses, you could ask for his/her rationale in writing (which tends to make them nervous) or seek an appointment with another doctor in the practice but s/he may surprise you by readily agreeing :-)
NHS England guidelines say PSA tests should be available to men who want one from age 50, unless they fall into the higher risk categories or have symptoms in which case it can be done earlier. The problem isn't the guidelines ... it is the GPs' interpretations of these.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
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Hi, my dad was diagnosed at 70, treated with radiotherapy and still here at 85. I was diagnosed at 49, metastatic prostate cancer and therefore incurable. In my non medical opinion if you have it in your family then have a PSA test from 40 onwards, hopefully will do no more than put your mind at rest. Hope all goes well. Kev
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With your family history I would speak to your GP as there are pros and cons for a PCA test; I didn't follow my own advice until recently when I discovered my PSA count is 11.5.
Your GP will explain the issues with having a PCA test, i.e. around the accuracy as it possible to have a low PCA count and prostate cancer and vice versa a high PCA count and no cancer.