6 minute read
Tackling Prostate Cancer
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.
There are a lot of reasons for those 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 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 unit to each of the 23 NHS regions across the UK, as well as raising awareness and providing information that will lead to better life outcomes for 1000’s of men.
They have a plan that includes three steps to improve outcomes: 1. Get men to talk, and to address symptoms sooner 2. Help improve access to easier and more effective screening 3. Donate equipment to provide less invasive treatment options
The HIFU treatment that Paul had is used for many cancers including breast, liver, pancreatic, brain and more and is one of the new treatments available under the banner of Focal Therapy. Focal therapy also includes cryotherapy, a surgical technique that can treat localised prostate cancer by freezing and destroying cancer cells. This is a relatively new treatment, and longterm outcomes are still being assessed, however it is recognised alongside HIFU as effective in treating early cancers and has markedly fewer side effects than a surgical prostatectomy or radiotherapy.
Cryotherapy is also an outpatient procedure and although slightly more invasive than HIFU, it is considerably less invasive than traditional treatments offered by doctors as standard.
Ultimately, Paul’s aim via Prost8 UK is to arm men with information and encourage them to speak up; “too many men don’t want to cause a fuss and would rather stick their heads in the sand over troubling symptoms than ask a doctor to perform an exam.” It is important to note here, that although a third of diagnoses are in men over 75, an increasing amount of over 50’s are also receiving the bad news. “If they receive a positive diagnosis, they just want to deal with it immediately and ask the doctor what to do. People often don’t question doctors, and surgery to cut out cancer happens to be very effective.” Says Paul; “I just want men to be more likely to get an early diagnosis, which means they would probably be a candidate for these non-invasive treatments and have better lives as a result.”
You can book a prostate exam through your GP and the charity’s website provides information on a man’s right to be screened. Sadly, there is still a reluctance among a large number of GP’s to screen if a man does not present with obvious symptoms. Paul’s case is typical as he had none of the expected symptoms yet by persistence was checked to discover a sizeable tumour in the left side of his prostate.
Paul is very happy to be contacted by anyone who needs help. “I founded this charity, but I’m also a cancer survivor who was lucky enough to find a doctor that would help me. I don’t want others to rely on luck, they need information.”
If you want to learn more about alternate treatments please email Paul at info@prost8.org.uk or visit online at www.prost8.org.uk where you can also donate to the charity; they are seeking corporate supporters
