Thank you Eastenders - Alfie Moon Prostate cancer storyline

[Ralye]

Maybe this is cringey but so thankful for this storyline, so many men unaware of this type of cancer until it is advanced or they have debilitating symptoms to live with for life due to the nature of surgery for this cancer.

DH has metastatic prostate cancer, so this is welcome news for me as I wish he had known what to look for.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-66503453

Thanks for posting this, @Ralye, it must be hard for both you and your DH. Hope his treatment is successful - and that the EastEnders story can somehow reflect a wide range of stages and treatment.

The BBC is still listing symptoms to look out for. There's actually no real evidence that early PCa has those urinary symptoms - both "symptoms" and PCa are common at a certain age and sometimes they just happen to coincide. So men with no "symptoms" are just as likely to have it. Also worth noting that lesions can occur on the front of the gland, which can't be reached by digital exam. Anterior lesions are also more common among men of African heritage.

So PSA over a period of time is the main starting point, followed if necessary by MRI then biopsy. Waiting for symptoms as commonly advised, can mean waiting for it to metastasise.