Are you a male over 40? If so, have you been prescreened for prostate cancer?!

September is Prostate Awareness Month and Prostaid Calgary is hopeful more men will tune into their health and choose to be risk assessed earlier than later.

While statistics state one out of seven men will hear the news that they have prostate cancer, Stewart Campbell, Director of Prostaid Calgary says many men may have telltale signs but not aware what it is connected to. While some men may assume the prostate-specific antigen, PSA blood test, is a surefire way to know, it is really just one of many indicators. "A lot of the misconception about a PSA test is that it's a test of prostate cancer and really what it is, is a risk assessment. It is a risk assessment to be validated. It's the same thing as the digital rectal examination, it is also a risk assessment to be validated. So now you have two imperfect tests but when you begin to add them together, the family physician then needs to think... hmm... is this worth me recommending the individual to the oncologist. The family physician is the gatekeeper to the oncology centre."

Prostaid Calgary is a charitable organization that offers support and assistance to individuals, families, and friends affected by prostate cancer. Completely funded by private contributions and donations, the organization does not provide medical or treatment advice but instead aims to raise public awareness and education around the disease. 

Diagnosed with prostate cancer in August of 2017, well known and respected community member, Ronnie Knowles, shares he was always under the impression that prostate cancer was one of the more treatable, curable cancers. "They always use the statistic of 70/30, so 70% of people are going to survive and 30 are going to pass. So when I got put on the drugs, met with this group that meets and I found out more about it, I learned that out of the 70% surviving, about 80% of those guys are fighting it on a daily basis. There are so many people like that and one guy has been battling it for 27 years. The bottom line is once you get cancer you're changed, your body is different, your mind is different and you approach things in a different way."

Campbell, who was diagnosed with high-risk, advanced prostate cancer more than two decades ago, shares the same sentiment and says the reality of the word 'cure' can be a misnomer. "You are living with cancer. The last fifteen years has really, really advanced the knowledge of the disease and the control solutions...I won't call it cure solutions but managing the disease. My timing into this whole journey was actually after the first chemo drug was identified which extended survival by three months. Since then, there have been probably six new drugs that attack different parts of the biological processes around prostate cancer, depending on the stage, type of cancer, and your genetic background."

Knowles says while doctors and researchers continue to investigate the linkage of many cancers to the environment, food or other issues, it really comes down to educating men. "Not only for being tested but also how to deal with it. There are levels of cancer within prostate cancer and I have aggressive. That is why it was so important to have the Man Van at the parade and rodeo, not only for testing but visibility, if someone is there and they see prostate they might just say I am going to get tested."

Most men are diagnosed in their 50s and 5% of men tested through the Man Van, will receive a letter from the Prostate Cancer Centre stating they should connect with their family physician. Campbell is hopeful more men tune into what their bodies are telling them and, if not, that the women in their lives strongly suggest they get PSA tested and keep track of their numbers. 

Both Knowles and Campbell are hoping to start a support group here in Cochrane and if people are interested they should reach out to Stewart at executive.director@pccncalgary.org

The Man Van had a presence at the Cochrane Labour Day Parade on Monday (September 4) as as well as at the final of the Cochrane Lion's Rodeo.Generally, the early stages of prostate cancer are symptom-free while advanced cases can cause the following symptoms:

  • Problems urinating, including a slow or weak urinary stream or the need to urinate more often, especially at night
  • Blood in the urine or semen
  • Trouble getting an erection (erectile dysfunction or ED)
  • Pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs), or other areas from cancer that has spread to bones
  • Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet, or even loss of bladder or bowel control from cancer pressing on the spinal cord