Alan Powell, 66, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020 after a joke made him think about his health, and his brother Keith, 68, was soon diagnosed with the same disease after being inspired by Alan to take a test
Two brothers underwent life-saving prostate cancer treatment within months of each other after a joke during a lads’ holiday led them to get tested. Keith Powell, 68, had a radical prostatectomy just months after his younger brother, Alan, 66, underwent the same procedure.
The siblings even had their surgeries at the same Surrey hospital with the same surgeon and feel fortunate to have caught the cancer before it spread. Retired gas and heating engineer Alan decided to get tested following a casual comment about how often ‘men of a certain age’ visit the loo during a lads’ holiday.
Alan explained that the joke led him to get a PSA test – a blood test that can help diagnose prostate issues. Alan said: “I had no symptoms at all and considered myself to be a reasonably active man, so what happened next was a bit of a shock.” Alan, who is expecting his first grandchild later this year, later had an MRI scan and a biopsy before receiving his dreaded cancer diagnosis.
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Keith, who had previously battled skin cancer, was spurred to get tested after his younger brother Alan’s unexpected diagnosis, which led to the discovery of his own similar condition.
Consultant Urological Surgeon Wissam Abou-Chedid performed both operations, with Keith expressing gratitude for his brother’s impromptu decision to get checked: “Ahead of my surgery I was quite confident as I had been out for dinner with Alan who told me exactly what to expect. If he hadn’t decided to get tested, neither of us would have known we had cancer. I feel very fortunate that we both caught it before it had spread.”
The brothers’ swift treatment has left Keith praising the speed and efficiency of their care., saying: “The speed that it has been dealt with for both of us has been fantastic.”
Prostate cancer often goes unnoticed as it can develop slowly without symptoms, which was the case for both siblings despite their father’s history of an enlarged prostate later in life.
Mr Abou-Chedid shed light on the link between family history and the risk of prostate cancer, noting: “The causes of prostate cancer are largely unknown, although certain things can increase the risk of a patient developing the condition. You are two and a half times more likely to get prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it, compared to a man who has no relatives with the illness.
“Although it can run in families, having a family member with prostate cancer does not necessarily mean that you will get it. However, I would advise you to speak to your GP if you have a relative with prostate cancer, ovarian or breast cancer as your risk may be higher.”
