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Young & Early diagnosis

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User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 09:12

Hi All. I wanted to share with you my last 18 month experience of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and treatment to help others. I was 44 years old when I passed blood. Thought not too much of it, but thought I should talk to my GP. She advised it was probably nothing and would probably go away, however I wanted to understand why this happened, so asked to get a private referral as didn’t want to wait the 3-4 months that I would need to on the NHS. So glad I did, as my consultant was great and honest that the best way to know what was going on was to have a number of tests including MRI. All test came back clear accept the MRI which showed a couple of small patches that could be cancer. It then followed that I had a biopsy via MRI to sample those areas which unfortunately came back as prostate cancer. I was shocked as thought this happens (if you’re unlucky) when your in your 60’s or 70’s and I was 44, sat in a waiting room with gentlemen who were older. 
Because of my age the options I was advised on were HIFU or surgery. My consultant was a specialist in HIFU and advised that I also got a view from a surgeon (which I did) on removal, so I could weigh things up. The decision I made was HIFU which I had in March 2020, literally a few weeks before COVID lockdown. Also it happened to be my 45th birthday, so won’t ever forget the date. Clearly lucky and unlucky, firstly to get treated quickly, but obviously unlucky to be in the situation I found myself in. 

I’m now 16 months on and had the year scan which had showed the treatment had done it’s job and that my PSA had dropped from 1.32 to 0.52. As I mentioned earlier everything accept my scan looked reasonably normal. I clearly early on and don’t want to count my chickens, but wanted to share so men don’t wait and get a full set of investigations as in my case if I didn’t I would be in a significantly worse place. Also it seems HIFU isn’t offered to many so wanted to share this as well. It’s not a treatment without side effects, but definitely in my experience not too bad. 

User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 09:12

Hi All. I wanted to share with you my last 18 month experience of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and treatment to help others. I was 44 years old when I passed blood. Thought not too much of it, but thought I should talk to my GP. She advised it was probably nothing and would probably go away, however I wanted to understand why this happened, so asked to get a private referral as didn’t want to wait the 3-4 months that I would need to on the NHS. So glad I did, as my consultant was great and honest that the best way to know what was going on was to have a number of tests including MRI. All test came back clear accept the MRI which showed a couple of small patches that could be cancer. It then followed that I had a biopsy via MRI to sample those areas which unfortunately came back as prostate cancer. I was shocked as thought this happens (if you’re unlucky) when your in your 60’s or 70’s and I was 44, sat in a waiting room with gentlemen who were older. 
Because of my age the options I was advised on were HIFU or surgery. My consultant was a specialist in HIFU and advised that I also got a view from a surgeon (which I did) on removal, so I could weigh things up. The decision I made was HIFU which I had in March 2020, literally a few weeks before COVID lockdown. Also it happened to be my 45th birthday, so won’t ever forget the date. Clearly lucky and unlucky, firstly to get treated quickly, but obviously unlucky to be in the situation I found myself in. 

I’m now 16 months on and had the year scan which had showed the treatment had done it’s job and that my PSA had dropped from 1.32 to 0.52. As I mentioned earlier everything accept my scan looked reasonably normal. I clearly early on and don’t want to count my chickens, but wanted to share so men don’t wait and get a full set of investigations as in my case if I didn’t I would be in a significantly worse place. Also it seems HIFU isn’t offered to many so wanted to share this as well. It’s not a treatment without side effects, but definitely in my experience not too bad. 

User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 13:26

Great update Rob. There was a chance this would not have progressed, but also a chance it would have progressed. I think the best thing about this is that you were able to have HIFU. If you had left it later it would probably have grown to the extent a more radical treatment was required.

Of course it may return, but as long as you monitor things you will be on top of it if it does return. Hopefully you are cured, even if you aren't you have probably pushed agressive treatment 10 or 20 years down the line. (by which time treatments will be better).

If I were you I would have made the wrong decision. I would have read that PCa was unlikely at 44 and I would have waited fo an NHS referral, then thanks to covid it would have been cancelled and I would not have chased it up. So you were sensible to get the private referral. 

Dave

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User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 13:26

Great update Rob. There was a chance this would not have progressed, but also a chance it would have progressed. I think the best thing about this is that you were able to have HIFU. If you had left it later it would probably have grown to the extent a more radical treatment was required.

Of course it may return, but as long as you monitor things you will be on top of it if it does return. Hopefully you are cured, even if you aren't you have probably pushed agressive treatment 10 or 20 years down the line. (by which time treatments will be better).

If I were you I would have made the wrong decision. I would have read that PCa was unlikely at 44 and I would have waited fo an NHS referral, then thanks to covid it would have been cancelled and I would not have chased it up. So you were sensible to get the private referral. 

Dave

User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 14:42
I don't know what we can do to educate GPs about prostate cancer and young men. Candyman (an ex-member here) was diagnosed at 40 I think and died despite radical and systemic treatment. Our friend's grandson died recently of prostate cancer - he was 27. It certainly seems that in some cases the cancer is much more aggressive and persistent in young men. GPs need to be more aware of the possibility.
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User
Posted 19 Jun 2021 at 15:42

Great post Rob, you made a fine set of decisions.   

It isn't often we read of people passing blood as a result of Prostate Cancer.  I'm curious as to why it bled and what your diagnosis was.  What was your Stage, Gleason or Grade of lesion, where was the lesion located?

All the best, Peter

 
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