Clean up Prostate Cancer

 

Prostate Cancer symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

·         Remember 7 out of every 8 men in the UK will not experience Prostate Cancer. (Prostate Cancer UK 2015).

·         There are several conditions which share symptoms with Prostate Cancer. If  you are aware of a problem please seek medical advice as soon as possible. Researching treatments or listening to friends before seeking medical advice will often cause unnecessary distress.

·         Each incidence of Prostate Cancer is unique and needs to be assessed by experienced medical practitioners. Important factors include the stage at which the cancer is discovered and consideration of how aggressive the cancer is combined with patient specific circumstances.

·         Prostate Cancer strikes randomly, however, there are two groups which need to be particularly conscious of symptoms - if one or more of your close relatives have already been diagnosed OR if you have African or West Indian heritage the chance of you having the disease increases significantly. Become familiar with symptoms and consider having regular checks. In the UK 50 is the accepted age for volunteering for a PSA test but if you are in the 2 groups mentioned your GP may be prepared to start monitoring sooner if circumstances suggest an history of early onset.

·         Incidence of the disease increases with age. For your own peace of mind it may well be worth discussing a monitoring schedule with your GP. 

·         The internet offers many sources of information. Please be very careful, not all of them are accurate or relevant

I have deliberately not included symptoms to look out for here. For good information I recommend visiting Prostate Cancer UK http://prostatecanceruk.org/

You can also call the specialist nurse team there on 0800 074 8383 

The internet cannot replace one to one advice from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner.

Always start with your GP  

In the UK, if you are not already registered with a local doctor you can find out where the nearest practice or clinic is here http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search

It allows a simple search requiring your postcode. As I write in 2015 access to appointments in clinics varies and is subject to change. Check the arrangements before registering.