Getting Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer
227 views · Published 30 August 2016 · 6:30 · Indexed 22 September 2026
Channel: Life The Basic Manual · 2016 · Education
In this clip, Jim shares about his experience of getting diagnosed with prostate cancer. Jim, a successful and highly-regarded musician, was diagnosed at the age of fifty seven with a locally-advanced case of prostate cancer. Up until his diagnosis, he had been completely asymptomatic. Jim believes that the simple blood test - the PSA (prostate specific antigen) - probably saved his life. His PSA produced a count of 14 - a very high result. Once he’d received that result, his treatment moved fast. He underwent diagnostic procedures such rectal examinations and a biopsy, and it was found that his prostate gland - a walnut-size gland that is part of the male reproductive anatomy - was extensively infiltrated by cancer. Jim emphasises that there are many approaches to this cancer - including chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and a variety of hormonal treatments. Because his cancer was advanced, the suggestion made to Jim was he had his prostate gland removed entirely. He had a radical prostatectomy. Jim’s cancer proved to have metastasised, and he underwent further surgery, a bilateral orchidectomy - in layman’s terms, he had both of his testicles removed. This was followed with a course of high-dose oestrogen therapy. Jim’s cancer is currently in remission, and of course he has regular checks to see that this remains the case. The surgeries and treatments he has experienced have had a profound impact on his life, and he is keen to underline the point that they would probably have been much less radical in nature had he been alerted to the problem with an earlier PSA test. Guys - pay attention. With regular checks, you catch any such situation early. When it comes to prostate disease, ignorance is definitely not bliss….
