Our Stories
Here are the stories of some people with prostate cancer. Some have remained anonymous, but all are real stories about the journey each person has taken with this condition.
Malcolm's story
I am 67 years old and my story starts in early 2020 when a routine blood test highlighted a PSA of 4.5. My GP said this was slightly on the high side for my age, and that it should be measured again in the future. Then the pandemic hit and all was forgotten until my wife saw a TV programme about prostate cancer in early 2022 and suggested I check my PSA again. An increase to 4.7, OK slightly higher than last time, and I could either monitor it or investigate. I opted for the latter.
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Martin's story
In 2008 I was looking forward to retirement. However, I knew I had high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels. Also, I was aware that I was waking at night, often several times, for a pee. I went to my GP. He was able to deal with the first two problems through medication but arranged for me to have a blood sample taken for a PSA test.
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David B's story
In the spring of 2012, my GP, responding to my complaint that I was having to visit the loo several times a night, reported that I had a PSA of 38. This led to a prostate biopsy at the hospital. This biopsy revealed that five out of twelve core samples had evidence of cancer, with a Gleason score of eight.
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Steve's story
Benjamin Franklyn said there are only two things certain in life; death and taxes. Taxes I can vouch for, but death? Like most people, you think you are immortal. I certainly did. That is until the hospital specialist told me I had prostate cancer!
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Alasdair's story
At the age of 66, I discovered that I had an enlarged prostate and my PSA was 9. Subsequent scans and a biopsy diagnosed prostate cancer. Fortunately, although aggressive with a Gleason score of 8, the cancer was confined to the prostate. Medical advice was to have the prostate removed.
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David T's story
‘I’ve got you a doctor’s appointment’, my wife said at length, somewhat exasperated.
I’d had a cough for many months now, nothing serious, nothing heavy, just an occasional tickle. But that was how I found myself listening to the doctor some weeks later saying he’d run some tests and the cough was nothing to worry about, though he was deliberating over other test results he’d run at the same time.
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Alan's story
My father died of PC when he was 66. I reported to my GP that I had started to have urinary, urgency incontinence at 65. This turned out to be due to an over-active bladder and nothing to do with PC. However I started to have regular PSA tests. These had low values until 2009 (aged 67) when they started to rise.
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An MK man's story
I am in my mid-sixties. My story begins mid 2010. After several weeks of going for a wee 4-5 times a night, which had been rare previously, it dawned on me that I should get this checked. (Jumping ahead for a moment: ironically, it stopped soon after I got into the prostate cancer 'system', and I've had no other symptoms either.)
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Edward's story
A ‘potted history’ of my Prostate problems from March 2010
1. March 2010 Prostate Cancer diagnosed at MK Hospital with a PSA of 147.
2. Prescribed “Zoladex” implants every three months with watch and wait.
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Collins' story
In September2013, I started having pains between my right lower abdomen and my right testicle, I took some medications and it stopped. By February 2014 the pains started again. This time it was excruciating and I was asked by a medical doctor to do a laboratory test.
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Michael's story
We received the following article from NIHR Clinical Research Network (CRN) and were given permission to publish it online. Michael Howard didn’t have prostate cancer but his spirit in fighting lymphocytic leukaemia is stimulating. His taking part in NHS research projects proved to be beneficial.
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