Ian and his daughter, Alex (Picture: Ian Duncan)
Funerals have a weird way of bringing up all kinds of emotions, and my mother’s was no exception.
Grief and sadness were, of course, the most dominant feelings. But I was also filled with worry and anxiety about my own health.
Probably the last thing I ever expected to be thinking about that day was myself. Yet there I was, aged 61, and wondering whether I might have prostate cancer.
Growing up, I’d been estranged from my family. I didn’t know my dad, let alone anything about his medical history.
So when it came out in a conversation with a relative at my mum’s funeral that my father had been diagnosed with prostate cancer back in the noughties, I instantly felt concerned.
Other than that it affects a small gland in a man’s pelvis (called the prostate) and is the most common cancer in men, I knew very little about the disease. Truthfully, I’d never really given it much thought.
You could even say I had a very, ‘it couldn’t happen to me’ mentality about it.
But now learning that my father had been diagnosed with it when he was 74, changed everything.
I wasted no time and arranged a PSA blood test with my GP a week after my mother’s funeral.
This test measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) – which is a protein made by the prostate gland – in your blood.
The waiting was awful but getting the results was worse (Picture: Ian Duncan)
A small amount of PSA is usually normal. But if it is raised, this can be an indicator of a host of conditions such as prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate gland), a urinary tract infection or, of course, prostate cancer.
Thankfully, at that time, my PSA levels were low and the doctor decided that no further examinations were necessary.
Fast forward to 2022 however, when I was 66, and things once again changed.
I was at another funeral – my uncle’s, this time – when a younger cousin of mine on my dad’s side of the family told me he’d just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
This really shocked me. I couldn’t believe a second family member had been diagnosed with this disease.
He strongly advised me to have another PSA blood test, which I arranged promptly with my GP the following day, and this time, much to my disappointment, the results showed that my PSA levels had increased significantly.
While this didn’t necessarily mean I had prostate cancer, I was still scared. More than anything though, I was utterly confused.
I felt fine and was living my life normally. I was enjoying being retired and spending time with my family and friends. I also didn’t have any symptoms that would indicate I had the big C.
Little did I know that often there are no symptoms with prostate cancer in its earlier stages.
What followed was a series of examinations and biopsies to determine if I did in fact have cancer. The waiting was awful but getting the results was worse.
In May 2023, I entered a room to meet with my consultant. He greeted me with a handshake and two Macmillan nurses were also present.
‘A handshake and an audience. This does not bode well.’ I thought.
He then gave me the news that, at 67 years old, I had prostate cancer.
Another rush of emotions swiftly followed: anger, shock, upset. I just couldn’t believe it.
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The consultant explained I would need to have a nuclear scan – which would check whether the cancer had spread to my bones before they could advise any form of treatment.
Naturally this was hard to come to terms with, and when I told my wife Dorothy, 68, and my daughter Alex, 30, what was going on, the news hit them hard.
Initially, they broke down in tears before resolving to do everything they could to help me through this difficult time.
They accompanied me for the nuclear scan and we all consoled each other on the bad days. But we all remained hopeful that I could beat this.
A few weeks later we were told that the cancer had not spread – a huge relief. I was then advised about the relevant treatment options available: an operation to remove the prostate gland or radiotherapy with hormone therapy.
As I had previously suffered complications after an operation (acute appendicitis coupled with a burst abscess) I opted for the latter.
I was prescribed hormone tablets to be taken once a day and I received a hormone injection (which is slow releasing and lasts six months within the system).
A 20-day course of radiotherapy followed, which I completed on 16 August 2023. And I’m pleased to say my last PSA test result was low, meaning the treatment is likely working.
I was prescribed hormone tablets to be taken once a day (Picture: Ian Duncan)
We were elated with the news but we know there’s still a long road ahead.
I will have another PSA blood test in early 2024, as the hormone treatment wears off, which will determine whether the cancer has been successfully treated or whether more steps will be needed. And I’ll need further PSA blood tests every year thereafter.
I do have side effects from the treatment, which include hot flushes, lethargy, and numerous trips to the toilet. But on the whole I am feeling much more positive now.
Prostate Cancer UK has a lot to do with that. Its website has a host of information about the disease and treatment which helped ease any concerns and worries my family and I had.
It’s why, in September this year, my daughter Alex and her boyfriend signed up for the charity’s March the Month challenge. They completed 11,000 steps every day throughout the month and raised over £700 – a small token to allow them to continue to help men like me affected by this terrible disease.
When I was diagnosed I knew almost nothing about prostate cancer.
I knew it was common and I soon learned that it is twice as prevalent in Black men, but I never truly appreciated how conscious every man needs to be about his potential risks of the disease.
Symptoms of prostate cancer
Having a hard time starting to pee
Taking a long time to pee
Blood in urine
A weak flow
You can find out more here
I didn’t know that things like getting older and having a family history of the disease puts you at higher risk. And I only found out about my history by chance.
Even then, because I didn’t experience any symptoms, I wrongly believed I’d be OK.
Don’t make the same assumptions I did.
If you’re over 50 (or for any Black men reading, if you’re over 45) speak to your GP about having a PSA blood test – even if you’re feeling fine.
It might just save your life.
Most men with early prostate cancer don’t usually have symptoms. Visit prostatecanceruk.org/risk-checker and take Prostate Cancer UK’s 30-second online risk checker, to check your risk and find out what you can do about it.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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Little did I know that often there are no symptoms with prostate cancer in its earlier stages.