I have read the post concerning the death of Tony Peart, a gentleman I was not aquainted with, but I have read his tribute with interest.I note that he died after a battle with Prostate Cancer.
I just want to focus on P Ca. as I believe it is very relevant on a site such as this,which is made up mainly by blokes in their 50's and 60's,with some a bit older.
What is not generally known,is that P Ca kills roughly as many men annually as women who die of Breast Cancer. You hear a lot about the latter but not so much of the former.Now we blokes can be our own worst enemy and we don't like to discuss our health problems,especially where it might involve the crown jewels,and as a result, many blokes die every year because they didn't know they had a problem until it was too late. For those who do know something about P Ca, please excuse me, but the odds are that a good number on here have not given it a thought and believed,as I did, that P Ca is an old man's problem.Well it's not,and it can strike at anyone on here and the odds are that several on this board will at some stage,to some degree,be affected by this insideous killer. I say insideous, because by the time symptoms are noticed, it is usually too late for effective treatment.If that sounds scary,believe me IT IS !! I am speaking from experience having been diagnosed with an aggressive malignant tumour,just over three years ago,AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY IDEA THAT IT WAS THERE.It was a fluke that my GP sent me for a PSA test along with other blood tests,and the result from that was the alarm bell for him to seek the opinion of a urologist.
I am now an advocate for PSA testing but the Health Ministries in UK and NZ do not see it that way. PSA tests are available to you in UK but you have to request them. Please do. Knowledge is everything and although a PSA test itself is not perfect, it is a warning to have further checks,a DRE and /or biopsy which will ascertain whether or not you have a problem.
If anyone would like to chat or e-mail or wants any more info on this subject I am happy to talk. I have written my story in journal form which I am happy to send to Chris to post on here as a blog if enough think it appropriate.I have tried to set out in simple terms just what happened to me and to demonstrate just how easy it is for a bloke to die because he didn't know he had a problem.
Whew ! That's a bit of a rant but it is a subject I feel strongly about. I am lucky to still be around because I was lucky I had a vigilant GP who sent me for a PSA test which led to other tests which revealed the killer tumour before it had escaped into my system, and subsequent prompt surgery took care of it before it could do more damage.I was a fit 67 year old,and had no idea. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Thanks for flagging up this difficult topic. Blokes seem much less ready to subject themselves to examinations than women, who have medical intervention throughout their lives. Pleased to hear your PSA test saved you. I've had a number of blood tests recently, but no-one has ever suggested a PSA and I wasn't aware that this was available. Having read your message, I shall ask about this next time I'm in dock. I heard something on the radio some months ago when there was a debate about the cost of treating people on the NHS who were smokers. It was cheaper to let them go on smoking and die early than ultimately pay out their pensions. Cynical, huh?
Thanks for pointing this out.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 58-63

Current location (optional) Exeter, Devon

My doctor is not an advocate of the PSA test. He regards it as unreliable, and says then it really only gives an indication of whether one is more likely to have a prostate problem than is normal.He reckons that any fellow with even minor swelling of the prostate , whether benign or malignant, will soon realise he is having to pee a lot more frequently, or will have some discomfort if sitting down for a long time.
But we should all examine ourselves from time to time ,as women should do with their breasts (though they should have screening for both breasts and cervix if over 50)

Just another view, but Bill is right to bring this to our attention

Thanks for those comments. Your Dr's attitude Brian,reflects the view of the Ministry of Health,in UK and also NZ, and it is quite flawed in that symptoms usually don't show until a tumour is advanced and has escaped the capsule.Once you are aware of symptoms you have a battle on your hands, the end result is usually not nice. Sure you may have difficulty urinating or feel swollen and it may be a blockage or an enlarged prostate which may be benign.They are the lucky ones.The danger is in the unknown where there are NO SYMPTOMS while the tumour is forming and escaping into the system.The PSA test is not perfect, but it is a WARNING to look further. I know of several cases of chaps who found out after peeing difficulties and a psa test was in the hundreds with cancer already in vulnerable areas and these chaps died with a few months.
If you are not confident with a PSA test, then request a digital rectal examination from your GP.Not pleasant but it might be a life saver.
David,thanks for your comments. A close friend spent all his working life with the Police in West Yorkshire. As part of his employment he had a medical check annually. Not once did he have a PSA test or even was aware of them. He does now. As I said earlier, we blokes are our own worst enemies where our health is concerned.If I can make more aware of what can happen by doing nothing,then thats good.Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

"What killed me, kills one man per hour in Britain! That's even more than my wife's cooking! So says Bob Monkhouse in a recent TV Ad. labelled 'Back from the Dead', promoting a campaign to fight the disease for the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation, named 'Give a few Bob' Bob did indeed, die of P.ca. back in 2003 and the use of archive footage, a body-double in a graveyard scene and a very good sound-alike voice-over, makes for a clever piece of advertising.
When I met up with you Bill, in March of this year, you told me you were writing a book of sorts, on your experiences with the above-mentioned problem, and I do hope that you manage to get it published in some form or other, in the near future.
Thanks again for your hospitality and 'the Bays Tour'. I slept well that night!! Cheers!

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 45-50

Current location (optional) Keighley

Here's the ad: click here

Compression of the lower back can cause pressure on the bladder and cause a more frequent need to pee than hitherto. Are there other causes of frequent peeing other than issues arising from the prostate?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-60

Thanks for that David. I didn't know about Bob Monkhouse-it sure is a clever piece of advertising.The figures quoted should make EVERY bloke aware of the risk of not doing anything to ensure their own health. It can happen to you, and it can happen when you are apparently healthy. That is the insideous nature of the beast.
A friend of mine in Wellington NZ started to have psa tests 3 years ago after I had my trouble----- earlier this year a rising psa reading alerted him to see a urologist-------- he had a radical prostectomy two weeks ago and we heard today that that lab report confirms that the tumour was confined to the gland.Great news-but what if he hadn't been having regular (annual) psa tests?
David-it was just great to meet up with you again and spend the time we did together.NZ is not a bad place eh?

Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Read Bill's story.

Hi Bill. I went to see my doctor this week for my regular bi-annual blood test, and took careful note of the number of boxes that he had 'ticked' on the envelope supplied. On it, part from the usual FBC, U & E, LBP,Glucose and Lipids(High & Low), he had written, himself, the letters 'PSA' underneath. I told him about this 'prostate thread' on our website and he was more than a little interested. On reflection though, as Bill has pointed out, if the PSA test is to be regarded in the UK, as being just as important as, 'blood sugar', cholesterol, liver and kidney checks etc., then why not a printed 'box' of it's own for PSA(Prostate Specific Antigen)? And it doesn't make you sweat half as much as a 'DRE', does it, Bill? Still' it was nice to know that I have a doctor who is 'on the ball' so to speak.
After supplying three sample phials of blood at the Clinic a day later, I looked at my 'contribution' and in true 'H-h-hancock style' suggested to the nurse that it was 'almost an armful'!! She smiled- God bless her!!! 'The lad 'imself' would have been impressed.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 45-50

Current location (optional) Keighley

Good one David-------- It just makes so much sense to know what is going on.
Re the DRE----- I got a laugh from my Urologist -as he was conducting that undignified examination-I burst out with "I'm b******d if I know how some guys do this for fun"- he almost choked and admonished me with " Do you mind Bill?---- I'm trying to concentrate here". Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Terry asks, in his usually thoughtful manner:
"Are there other causes of frequent peeing other than issues arising from the prostate?"
I have noticed many times that drinking a few pints of beer invariably makes me want to pee urgently.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) USA

I have been having PSA tests since 1992. I see no harm in getting whatever indication I can. The PSA test is not perfect but can give an indication. The general thinking is that a low reading, 1-4, indicates that probably all is well (but not guaranteed), and may generate unwarranted complacency, where as a high reading, say 9, might be reason to investigate further, but might create unnecessary anxiety. I know someone having had a reading of 15 for years without any problem.
Regarding operations for BPH, please be aware that there are quite a few kinds of operation available other than cutting. I went through the knife procedure, but it was a 3 day hospital job. Not much pain but a lot of discomfort. This was about 4 yrs ago and the bugger is closing up again.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 52-57

Current location (optional) USA