Photons on the Prostate - XII

Do not defy the prostate

Just over three weeks after radiotherapy treatment, if I am not already aware of what my prostate is, where it is, and what effects noticing it can have on you, I will have been in a parallel universe, but I am here in the full knowledge of this interesting piece of anatomy the size of a walnut.

Do not be deceived, its size is hardly indicative of what it portends; it was its growth in size and volume that suggested something untoward was at play.

Evidently, malignant prostate cancer after two PSA tests, a digital rectal examination, a multiparametric MRI scan with contrast that presented a PI-RAD score of 4, needing an ultrasound guided transperineal biopsy of the prostate.

Keep an eye on your prostate health

There are a whole range of issues that could be indicative of an enlarged prostate gland, usually referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) that would normally be non-cancerous but it is necessary to determine that is really the case, no assumptions should be made without a medical assessment.

The male reproductive system - Macmillan Cancer Support

A good check on your prostate health can be started with using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) Calculator as the site of the prostate gland below the bladder and surrounding the urinary tract as it exits the bladder can present issues with the ease of urination, a high IPSS score should alert you to proceed for the PSA test.

Dealing with a prostate cancer diagnosis

After the biopsy, the prostate was determined to have some cancerous cells and diagnosed as Stage 2 with a Gleason Score of 3 + 4 = 7, intermediate cancer and very amenable to treatment.

The urology department then referred me to a cancer specialist hospital for active treatment of cancer. While there were options for active surveillance, a radical prostatectomy, or radical radiotherapy.

After consultations, I elected for radical radiotherapy taking 20 courses of hypofractionated radiotherapy of the prostate for a total of 60 Gy on weekdays.

The side effects, various and different for each patient are for me concentrated on the waterworks, difficulty in urinating and burning sensation with the same, while presenting with urgency and frequency along with nocturia. Also, there is the fatigue that tends to show up with my voice sounding thin and weary.

Finding time to recuperate

One area my elective radiotherapy option might differ from others is I commenced treatment without neo adjuvant therapy which is hormone therapy to reduce testosterone, I later found out that my testosterone levels were quite low, which might well have been a blessing of sorts.

I was active throughout my radiotherapy treatment including for 75% of the appointments getting myself to and from the hospital as an outpatient. There were two or so days when after radiotherapy in the morning, I had to take the rest of the day off. In the main, I tolerated the treatment well and exercising will and mind over body at certain times.

However, radiotherapy while painless exerts quite a toll on the body, it was malignant cancer, and one needs to find the time to properly rest and recover to give the body the range and scope to return to full health and vigour. Despite the advancements in the science and engineering of radiotherapy, radiotherapy will touch healthy tissue as part of treating the cancer, which needs to heal too.

The outlook is incredibly good, now, get your checks done.

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Blog - Photons on the Prostate - XI