Nelson man, Lee Nelson, who survived prostate cancer was a retired doctor said that prostate cancer. Men must become more proactive in its detection he said. In 1997 following his first routine PSA blood test he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He was in incredibly good shape for 55 and had no signs or symptoms of the cancer that was already spreading through his body.
After the PSA blood test, Nelson returned to his homeland in the United States and consulted with some of the country’s top prostate cancer experts.
‘I was given seven different medical opinions, all strongly voiced,’ he said.
He decided on a radical treatment regime that was a combination of 3 things - radiation and hormonal therapy and lifestyle changes, after studying thousands of papers on the subject.
It’s important to understand that there are many treatment options and therefore many potential side effects from cancer so we need to understand the disease.
‘Prostate cancer is a very insidious disease, it’s really sneaky and you’ve got to have your blood tested because you can have no symptoms like me and have a very, very dangerous situation,’ he said.
‘I wouldn’t be alive today if I’d waited another year without a PSA test’. It’s as simple as that.
Nelson recommends that men start getting the PSA Test at 35 years if they have a family history of prostate cancer; otherwise they should begin testing at 40 years old.
It’s a leading killing cancer of New Zealand men, equivalent to breast cancer,’ he said. breast cancer is publicised and promoted much more however.
Diet could help the prevention of the disease, try substituting fish for red meat, take vitamin D, try to reduce your stress levels and increase your exercise. Fruits like pomegranate and berries were beneficial for prostate health, he said.
In addition there are a few really good Prostate Supplements which if taken early enough and regularly could also assist in preventing prostate cancer disease taking hold.
In another case in NZ a 70-year-old man consulted his doctor at a health clinic with urinary symptoms that suggested an enlarged prostate. As is standard procedure the doctor did a PSA blood test. The result of this test was
that the PSA levels were elevated, which raised suspicion of prostate cancer. The GP then decided that a repeat PSA Test should be performed after three months. Although the practice wrote to the man to remind him to have this
further PSA test he did not do so and unfortunately no further attempt was made to get him to take that test.
After seeing blood in his urine the man visited his doctor again but it was 12 months later. That test showed higher psa levels than 12 months previous . and the man was subsequently diagnosed with a spreading prostate cancer by a consultant urologist.
What you can learn from this is that you should; Take prostate supplements such as %Maximum Prostate1% maximum prostate early in life before you see the symptoms.
Prevention is better than cure.
Get your first PSA test at 40 years of age
Repeat PSA blood tests every 12 months - closer together perhaps as you get older
If the tests show raised PSA level and your doctor wants to have another test a few months later - don’t forget!
Ask to be referred to a Urologist if PSA levels are too high
Prostate cancer is thought to be the most common cancer in New Zealand men, with more than 2,900 men diagnosed every year. 50% (335) of the 670 that die per year from prostate cancer could be prevented in NZ through early detection. See %PSA Testing2% PSA Testing for more info.