Here I am back home after treatment for prostate cancer, feeling great and the NHS has performed at the highest level of excellence from beginning to the end.
How did it all start? I'm retired and age 73 leading an active life sailing and playing golf. Of course, like a lot of men, I almost never visit a doctor. I would be out playing golf and a friend might say something like "I have to watch it a bit as my cholesterol level is a getting high, what's yours like" My stock answer would be I don't know I never go to the doctor. That was until I had some prolonged diarrhea and the local pharmacy would not sell me any tablets but instead advised me to see my doctor. The doctor treated me for my symptoms with some tablets to stop the diarrhea but he also arranged for me to have a blood test. When the results came back I was told that everything was okay except that my PSA level was a little high at 5.5.
An appointment was made to see an Urologist at Canterbury hospital this was a routine examination of the prostate and a flow test. After this he arranged for me to come back the next day for a Biopsy where twelve small samples of tissue were taken from the prostate. This is a simple procedure that is performed with a camera scope and probe up the back passage with a local anaesthetic.
The next stage was to see a consultant back at Canterbury hospital who explained the findings from the Biopsy. This showed that there was Adencarcinoma of the prostate with one core showing a Gleason reading of 4+3=7. I was then referred to a surgeon who explained that there were two surgical options either regular that could be done in Canterbury hospital or laparoscopic surgery which could be undertaken at Kings hospital London. He also explained that there were other options like external and internal radiation.
I immediately said that I would prefer to avoid surgery if at all possible and would like to look at all the other treatments and especially Brachytherapy which is internal radiation with a number of radio active seeds being implanted directly into the prostate. I had heard of this procedure from a friend of mine, about the same age as me, who had recently been treated for his prostate cancer with this method.
The surgeon referred me to the Oncology department at Canterbury hospital after which an MRI scan was arranged in order to determine whether the disease had spread outside of the prostate or was confined. Fortunately for me it was found to be confined. I then saw Dr Thomas at Canterbury who agreed that I was a suitable candidate to undergo the Brachytherapy and a request was made for funding from their PCT. This was on the 9th November 2010.
In early January I received a letter advising me to attend the Maidstone hospital for a Pre-assessment on 26th January. All went smoothly and on 3rd February I attended the Maidstone hospital again this time for Mapping. This involves putting a catheter in that is filled with fluid, so that the urethra is visible and then a camera probe is inserted in the anus to explore and map exactly where the radioactive seed will be inserted. These stay active for a about a year gradually decreasing in output.
Three weeks later on 24th February 57 radio active seed were injected via 19 separate injections performed under a general anaesthetic. I was given antibiotics to prevent infection and other tablets to help with urinating as the prostate can get somewhat swollen after this procedure. I now feel great and have not had any side effects following the implants.
Brachytherapy is non invasive and would appear to be the ideal treatment for cancer of the prostate providing the disease is confined and not spread into other areas of the body and is also not too aggressive. Surgery although usually very successful can sometimes cause sexual dysfunction problems which is not something to worry about with Brachythereapy.
I have read so many horrifying stories of poor treatment and service at the hand of the NHS but in my case I have nothing but praise for everyone concerned from my local GP Dr. Kitchener, to the urologist, oncologist, consultants, radiologist, nurses and all the other staff. I was delighted with the treatment and service that I got. I'm sure that the implants will do their job and the cancer cells will be killed off and I can look forward to many more happy years.
The moral of the story is that if you catch these problems early there is usually a cure so I would suggest that all men over the age of 50 should get tested on a regular basis. It's a simple blood test and I believe that in a year or so there will be other testing procedures that are even more accurate than the current PSA.
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