Does anyone know anything about prostate cancer checks?

[ilovemyhens]

dh's grandfather and father both died of the aggressive form of prostate cancer.

I'm obviously worrying about him now.

He asked the GP about testing and the GP said there was no real point because of the risk of false positive/negatives and that the PSA check was very unreliable.

I am aware of this unreliability, but I don't think the GP understood that it was the aggressive form of PC that they died of and therefore dh needs something to be done in the way of regular checkups.

Does anybody have any knowledge of this type of thing? Should I be getting dh to arrange private checks or what?

He's 50 now and I'm worrying about it.

The GPs at the local surgery aren't very good, but I can't see any other surgery being any better really.

I want dh to be proactive about this, but don't know where to start.

My Dad had a private medical done for work. They offered to do a PSA check and although he had absolutely no symptoms at all it turned out that he had prostate cancer with a Gleeson score of 8 and was told that it was an aggressive form. He had brachytherapy and now has the all clear

I can't imagine that it would cost too much to get your DH tested privately. We are so pleased that my dad had that medical. They told him that if it had not been found until he had symptoms then things would have been much grimmer. Hope you manage to get him tested.

I think that with that sort of family history, getting some PSA screening would be good - it's not that expensive through BUPA. PSA is not very specific (for instance, it can be raised through prostate infection or through irritating the prostate and from having a large prostate), but a trend or a high reading would cause concern and merit more investigation.

Bloody doctors playing god again it seems. How dare they. I would insist - remember you and your husband are customers and this is a screening check. My DH has this done privately (in another country) as a screen check.

My Dad is pretty much a carbon copy of Marrow's - his private GP did regular, annual PSA tests and when it went up he had investigations: moderately aggressive, contained tumour, brachytherapy, now fine (at 84) and extremely active.
My uncle, OTOH, had an NHS surgery which didn't test under the age of 80 - first PSA taken was raised, surprise surprise he has prostate cancer which has spread to the bones. He is on hormone therapy, but that doesn't usually work for more than about 18 months and its been a year. He could have had private PSAs done, but didn't want to - possibly because he's a retired doctor himself and a very bad patient
My dh is 50 and I'm badgering him to start getting annual PSAs done - if the GP refuses, we'll go elsewhere.

My FIL had prostate cancer and DH was referred to have a PSA done by one GP no problem. A year later, our new GP refused. We didn't think too much of it then, but as DH approaches 40 he;s going to ask GP again, and if refused again, he will aske GP to make a note in his file that he has asked and has been refused ... hopefully this will make GP think again about refusal.
I've heard this tactic works.

Talk to these people, they should be able to help with advice about tests he could be able to have done.

The PSA test is riddled with issues which is why it hasn't been incorporated into a national screening programme in the same way that cervical smear tests are. So unfortunately, there still isn't yet a reliable and robust screening technique for prostate cancer.

If I were you, I would try again with your GP and explain in no uncertain terms that your DH has a strong family history of prostate cancer and that you would like not only a PSA test but that you absolutely insist on a physical exam. This is basically a rectal exam and is used to diagnose prostate cancer together with the PSA test; not exactly pleasant but not painful. Your GP should at least agree to this. If not, make a strong complaint and get this done elsewhere.

Due to his strong family history, he might be eligible to enrol in a clinical trial that studies prostate cancer risk. If enrolled, he will at least be monitored for the duration of the trial. Details for a trial that might be suitable for him can be found here. Obviously, I can't comment whether he will be suitable or not; that can only be decided by his doctor so I would advise you to print the page out and give it to him/her during your next visit.

Hope all goes well.

My FIL is 55 and has just had his prostate removed (cancerous), was only picked up from a private medical through work.

Private may be your only option if NHS is refusing.

what method said
I also have a vague recollection about reading somewhere that your age is the percentage of people who have prostate cancer. so 20% of all 20 year olds have itk, whilst 80% of all 80 year olds do. but usually its not aggressive. PSA is also a bit of a rubbish marker. the anal exam is a simple thing the gp can do then and there.
hope all goes well for you and your dh

I really shouldn't be on here just now. But please, please get your DH to get a PSA test and further investigations done now. Please xxx

A diet high in omega-3 fatty acids offers protection against advanced prostate cancer, even in men who carry a particular variant in the COX-2 gene that is known to raise the risk of the disease. TakeOmega3 currently offers the highest dose of omega3 of a pharmaceutical level each capsule contains 750 mg EPA - it is manufactured under MHRA licence facilities here in UK other studies on prostate and other cancers are detailed on the takeomega3 website

?Previous research has shown protection (by omega-3 fatty acids) against prostate cancer, but this is one of the first studies to show protection against advanced prostate cancer and interaction with COX-2,? Dr. John S. Witte of the University of California, San Francisco noted in a statement from the American Association for Cancer Research.Men who consumed the most long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had a 63 percent reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer compared to men who consumed the least.

?Importantly,? Witte and colleagues say, this protective effect was even stronger in men who carried the COX-2 variant, rs4647310, which is a risk factor for prostate cancer.

Specifically, men with low intake of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and this particular variant had a more than fivefold increased risk of advanced prostate cancer. But men with high intake of omega-3 fatty acids had a substantially reduced risk, even if they carried the COX-2 rs4647310 variant.

In other words, the increased risk of prostate cancer associated with the COX-2 rs4647310 variant was ?essentially reversed by increasing omega-3 fatty acid intake by a half a gram per day,? Witte said.

bookmarking.

My Grandpa (mums dad) and my Dad died from prostate cancer. I need to keep an eye on this for DS's benefit. Poor little mite is going to get a stern talk on it when he's a teenager.

My dad had his PSA levels monitored for several years by the nhs and I am so glad he did. Last year they operated to remove a tumor and touch wood he has recovered well and is cancer free at 59

Just to update - DH went to see GP yesterday who did give him form for PSA test and also performed an internal examination ... eeeeewwwww.
He said he didn't need to insist too much, so guess which GP you get really.

hendriks thanks for the Omega-3 advice. I'll google to see which foods they are, but hthink it's salmon??

OP - did your DH go to see GP again?

He says he'll do some research and think about it I'll keep nagging him.

Hens, show him my threads in general health/bereavement. Perhaps reading my darling husband's first worries just under a year ago to his death exactly one week ago might give your DH the jolt he needs. Xx

Oh, I'm so sorry about your dh Rindercella Please accept my sincere condolences xxx

My first dh died of cancer, so I'm pretty paranoid about this.

I shall get back onto him. He can afford to go private for checks if necessary. The GPs are so clueless these days and I don't trust any of their 'advice'.

I am also very interested in this as DH's father died at a very young 60 from Prostate Cancer... Diagnosed and dead in less than 2 years.... worries me so much. :(

Hens, so sorryyou have been through similar. I would have thought though that would give your DH even more reason to insist on regular screening. Why would he want to put toughening hell again?

In my mind, a 50 year old man with a family history of aggressive prostate cancer really must be regularly screened. He should insist it happen to his GP. That is even more so if your DH is of African Caribbean origin.

He isn't of African Caribbean origin, but the family history is certainly scary. His father died within two years of being diagnosed. I didn't know that African Caribbean men were affected so badly by this. It's a horrible thing.

dh is a typical bloke, doesn't like going to the doctor unless there's something wrong. I'm going to drag him there as soon as possible.

Rindercella, I hope you are getting support esp. with having children. I'm so sorry, it must be so tough on you. I didn't have children when my first dh died, but it was bad enough, so I can't imagine having to cope with that loss and having children to care for as well.