There is a petition on the Downing Street website regarding Prostate Cancer testing. This is the main form of cancer in men and kills 10,000 every year. The experience of having regular screening in the Tyrol district of Austria indicates that this results in early diagnosis and thus effective treatment leading to a fall in the mortality rate. This screening is cheaper and more cost effective than that for breast screening at only around £12 per test. For this price men with prostate cancer are given a chance for life. This country has the one of the lowest 5 year survival rates for prostate cancer in Europe.
Could you please sign this petition on
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/psa-testing/
This is part of generating a lot more awareness of prostate cancer, which many think is purely an old man's condition leading to those in their 40s being refused screening which means aggressive cancers are being missed in this younger age group at a time when they can be treated. Too many GPs simply believe this to be a young man's affliction and refuse to test. This is a disgraceful situation leading to the deaths of too many younger men.

Hello poppyplant
Thank you for that. This is an important petition as action from Government is needed to stop this silent killer taking so many lives every year. Awareness of this male cancer is needed but screening is also needed. I was aware of prostate cancer as my father had it but it turned out that I had been carrying it for several years before any symptoms were showing up. This meant that it had started to spread before diagnosed and treatment started. This is not something that is rare with this cancer.

I will also do it.

My Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 5/6 yrs ago, he was 52 (ish) at the time and luckily recieved radiotherapy, tablets and regular injections in his stomach - and he is now all clear

But.....it was only after us constantly pestering him to go to the doctors that all this happened, regular screening would IMO encourage more men to get themselves checked out !

I hope all is going well for you jimnic

I am waiting for the results after radio therapy. I was one of those who are aware of prostate cancer as my father had it and knew I was at higher risk. It increases by a factor of nearly 3 if a relative has had this. Despite this I would told that I had been carrying the cancer for many years as NO symptoms were showing. At least all the standard stuff about urine problems. The message boards for prostate cancer talk a lot about back and hip pains as signs and I have had these for years. Doctors however considered that as prostate cancer is an old man's affliction that it was not something to be considered and opposed my request for PSA testing. This is where a lot of the problems lie. Most of those I met when having treatment, and below 60, had to argue with their doctors to be tested. Those with urine problems were checked out for infections and stress over long periods before the PSA was carried out, and then only after arguement. This of course does not apply to all doctors but without a regular testing set up then this will carry on and men will die needlessly. On the main message board I use there are several widows of men in their 40s who have been killed by prostate cancer and the belief that is purely an old man's affliction.
To those who do vote please ask friends and family to also vote and thank you for your support.

Will keep my fingers crossed for your results jimnic

Luckily my dad did not have to pester his doctor for tests, once he saw his GP it all moved very quickly, and he was soon making daily trips to Glan Clwyd for his treatment. He's now had the all clear, but his PSA is checked on a regular basis.
I'd not heard that back and hip pain are syptoms, but now you've said that my Dad has suffered with both of those for years too, and was putting it down to being work related. He was told that he was extremely young to have prostate cancer as, like you say, they associate it with much older men, but, younger men are suffering from it, and regular screening really would help with this. My brother has said that he will ask his GP what his chances are of getting it, but still hasn't !! So I'm now pestering him to be checked as he does suffer some of the symptoms my Dad had.

Am hoping everything works out well for you, and that your results are pleasing

If you want to know more about this cancer and its symptoms the link to the prostate cancer charity is

http://www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/

It is a very good place to visit to learn about prostate cancer.
If you are afflicted there is a members message board where you can get a lot of support and information. Relatives also have a place on the board.

Hi Sky 161
I was sorry to read about your brother in law in your posting. This is the sort of story that prompts the petition. In this country the survival rate is highest in the 60 year old age group. This is when doctors consider that Prostate Cancer might be the diagnosis. For the younger age group it comes down to doubts as it is an old man's affliction. Even when symptoms are showing there is a tendency to run with antibiotics and so on before considering the PSA test. On the message board I have already mentioned I have been following the story of many widows affected as well as those of men like myself whose diagnosis came after the cancer started to spread outside the prostate. I am hopefully one who diagnosis came soon enough to make a difference but this will only be known after 5 years of check ups and years of hormone treatment. Diagnosis of this affliction does not mean you have to be treated. Some chose to just have it monitored in the hope of outliving it. Without the screening and diagnosis though there is no choice in whether to be treated or to wait and see. Screening is an essential part of this, even though the screening is not yet perfect. To those who believe it is a waste of time as "They will take notice" well They never will unless we shout at them to take action.

Done it!!

Done it also.........

Again thank you to those who have supported me in this. I have a personal interest in this as my cancer means my sons each inherit a 3 time increased risk of developing this cancer and I want a situation where they have a chance of being diagnosed earlier enough for a cure. Mine looks good for a cure at the moment. There is still 5 years to go before that can be said with certaintity. Mine had started to spread before the symptoms we are told be aware of were showing and I knew enough to just say that my father had it to cut short any attempt to waste time on antibiotics and so on before having a PSA test carried out.
Please keep on voting and asking friends to vote as well.

Here is a good article on the progress being made in AMERICA around effective screening. This country continues to drag its feet on this issue. America and other countries are running screening programmes already. Guess what the survival rate is increasing in these countries.