Tuesday 17th November 2020

I had my annual telephone consultation with Claire my Brachytherapy nurse from St Lukes in Guildford on Monday morning. Claire had already received a progress card filled out by me a few weeks ago and also my latest PSA result.

My Brachytherapy was carried out at St Lukes in September 2015 when my PSA was 4.1 having risen from my usual level of 3 a few months before. I had originally seen three different consultants discussing Radiotherapy and Surgery before I saw Prof. lang at st Lukes and discussing Brachytherapy. 

I decided on Brachytherapy as my diagnosis indicated I was likely to be a perfect candidate and the side effects were much less severe.

The procedure was carried out on a Thursday afternoon and following an overnight stay in hospital I went home the following morning. I felt so well I was able to return to work (moderate manual handling) the following Tuesday.

Since that time I've had regular PSA tests and regular telephone consultations with the Brachytherapy nurses Claire and Donna at St Lukes. My PSA has steadily fallen and is now less than 0.2.

Given my general good health and my lower PSA level Claire said that I no longer need to have annual consultations and in future she would write once a year just to keep in touch. I shall continue half yearly PSA tests for my own piece of mind. With my age and PSA less than 0.2 I'm now in a category with a less than a 2% chance of my cancer returning.

The service I have received from ST Lukes, my GP and the NHS in general has been first class, I couldn't have wished for anything better.

I would urge any man with a prositive Prostate Cancer diagnosis to check out Brachytherapy because if you are a suitable candidate (not everyone is mind you) it is a fantastic treatment.

There is a lot of information available from the Prostate Cancer UK website 

https://prostatecanceruk.org

Macmillan gave me a very informative booklet.

https://www.macmillan.org.uk

I'm a member of a Facebook Prostate Cancer Group which has been very informative.

I like using Twitter and I've found, and been in contact with, Dr Brian Moran at the Chicago Prostate Cancer Centre who has been very helpful supplying information. I'd urge you to take a look. (I'm not suggesting having treatment in Chicago but its great to get free information). 

www.chicagoprostatecancer.com

Brian's Twitter is @ChicagoProstate

Thats all for now. Anyone wishing to get in touch can email me ianccavi@gmail.com

About time Men took responsibility for their own health

About time Men took responsibility for their own health

I try to read as much as possible about men's experiences of Prostate Cancer and the more I read the more I become increasingly frustrated. I'm upset that so many men are being diagnosed with advanced Prostate Cancer.

Its about time men educated themselves about the dangers of Prostate Cancer. 

There is plenty of information available and there are plenty of organisations promoting awareness so there is no excuse for not keeping informed.

I think it's about time for Doctors to start taking the lead to ensure that their patients are kept informed and encouraged to take regular checkups, blood tests and physical examinations.

I can't understand why men fail to get regular checkups given that Prostate Cancer is now the most common cancer in men.

• More than 47,500 men are diagnosed in the UK every year, that 130 men every day

• Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that's more than 11,500 men every year

• Every 45 minutes one man dies from prostate cancer – that's more than 11,500 men every year

• Around 400,000 men are living with and after prostate cancer

The survival rates of PC when diagnosed in the early stages are very good. Modern interventions do work and more men are surviving years after diagnosis.

So I wonder what can be done in the short & long term to encourage men to get checked? The Dept of Health & Social care must do more to ensure that all men are aware of the PC risks.

Today I'm writing to the Secretary of State, Nick Hancock to ask what more his department can do.

I shall encourage all of my friends and colleagues to get checked and ask them to make sure their friends and colleagues get checked.