Will you be growing a handlebar of facial hair or a pornstache in support of men's health this Movember? I thought I would break from writing on the B.C. economy and share my own prostate cancer story in order to encourage men, and women, to take control of their own health.
Two and a half years ago, I was diagnosed with metastatic advanced-stage prostate cancer, with a 60 per cent chance of surviving five years. I was 45 years old.
Prostate cancer will hit most men if they live long enough, and is generally a slow moving cancer, often treated with watchful waiting. But I didn't get the slow kind. I got the aggressive kind, rarely found in men my age. Prostate cancer doesn't usually kill older men, but it does people my age, as it is often misdiagnosed.
So how did mine get detected?
Several years ago my GP started digital exams, I wasn't thrilled, but it did allow the space to talk about certain problems. Here I was barely 40 years old, unable to drive from Vancouver to Chilliwack without stopping in Abbotsford to hit a restroom. I was also plagued with my own softwood lumber issues, if you know what I mean. It was intermittent, but the frequency was increasing. My body was reacting either like a 90-year-old or a 19-year-old.
But, oddly enough, my age and general good health were working against me. The standard digital exams and the PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests showed irregularities, but nothing certain. The medical system was playing the odds, and the odds said that I was too young for prostate cancer.
However, over time, I began to feel pain. A dull but identifiable pain in my prostate, which felt like a pain in the rectum; because who knows what their prostate feels like?
I insisted there was a problem, and was eventually given a biopsy of the prostate, I think just to make me go away. I was given the choice of a local or general anesthetic, I chose a local. Big mistake. If you are ever given the choice, get knocked out. Nothing prepared me for that type of pain. And you don't even want to know where the needle goes to inject the local anesthetic into the prostate.
To make a long story short, the results weren't good. In six weeks I had my prostate and surrounding tissue removed. As the cancer had already spread to my lymph nodes, it was not possible to eradicate it completely. I now undergo hormone therapy every few years, with accompanying hot flashes; the symptoms of my treatment are similar to menopause, but that beats chemo or radiation, and definitely beats dying.
So what can you do?
Know you own body, and take charge. If you have a problem, get it investigated. Knowing earlier gives you far more options than knowing late.
You are your best advocate. If you can't do it, make sure you have a good GP to help with referrals and to interpret the specialists. In my case, I have a very smart and active wife who did the research and challenged the doctors and myself. It helped.
Follow the current protocols including digital exams and PSA blood tests, or whatever else is recommended. Get educated. Keep in mind that the protocols, tests, and treatments are evolving. Right now there is no perfect test, but it's still your responsibility, not your doctor's.
Vancouver has a world-class Prostate Centre, tied to UBC and Vancouver General Hospital. They conduct research, clinical trials, and patient treatment. They are a recognized "National Centre of Excellence". Go to their website, and follow their advice.
The good news is that what is good for cancer prevention and treatment is also good for the heart, and most other bodily systems that can cause problems.
Get regular exercise. Quit smoking. Eat right. Avoid sugars, white flour, and processed foods. Eat fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fish. Reduce red meat, or go for the grass fed over the corn or grain fed beef. Take Omega 3 fish oil supplements, and drink green tea.
So grow your 'stache, or support someone who is raising money by growing theirs' this Movember (ca.movember.com).
- Columnist Michael Izen is an economic and labour market analyst.
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