Prostate progress - smells so good

The challenge of doing something every day during March to raise awareness is still going strong. Bit of a panic on Wednesday because we had commitments all day so I created the penalty for failing, a £5 donation to Prostate Cancer UK. Stupidly, it took a few minutes for me to realise, by making the donation, I was actually fulfilling the challenge for that day. Cancer Research confirmed this when I went into the local charity shop this morning.

“Every step forward relies on every pound, every hour and every person.”

This was the  message I found on the back of the 2 birthday cards I bought . So concise yet so powerful and inspiring. It doesn’t matter if you are a scientist researching the disease, a doctor, a specialist nurse, a sufferer, a family member or simply someone who is sending a card, we all have the means to make a difference if we look for the opportunities.

We are making steps forward. Diagnosis has been a concern but refinements are in the pipeline. At the moment the PSA blood test is the easiest and most readily available diagnostic tool but it is flawed and even the subsequent biopsy may fail to pick up on positive readings. The biopsy is invasive which too often means men are not willing to be checked. Now there is evidence that the cancer can be detected by smell. Medical detection dogs have a remarkable success rate in detecting a number of cancers including prostate. This has inspired the scientists to investigate and in February a team of UK scientists announced early tests had shown soon it may be possible to diagnose urological cancers by changes in the smell of urine samples using an odoreader. There is still work to be done but the feeling is men will be more willing to volunteer for this form of test.

I looked into medical detection dogs and found an excellent website full of information and examples of their work. Take a look here:-  

https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/

I do understand how smell can be so effective in diagnosing a disease. I’m diabetic and when blood sugars rise through illness of before the disease has been detected, the breath of the sufferer can smell “sweet”, a bit like peardrops. Also urine can smell different.

So we go back to that potent message, to move forward we can all contribute in time, in money, in taking part, in supporting our neighbours and friends and especially in giving all those who work so hard the opportunity to save lives. Have the courage to take the test or volunteer for a trial.