Although one in eight men in the UK will get prostate cancer during their lifetime, often this is a discovery that’s made by chance – and sometimes it can come too late. As a result, a new campaign is encouraging men to get regular (prostate-specific antigen) PSA tests to help improve the chances of catching prostate cancer earlier and stop people from dying far too soon.
Among those who have faced a shock prostate cancer diagnosis is Richard Bean, who made the unexpected discovery after visiting the doctor with symptoms of vertigo. Prior to his diagnosis, Richard loved to spend time cycling and playing football with his grandchildren. Having embraced an active and healthy lifestyle during his retirement, it never crossed his mind that a trip to the doctor with something unrelated could save his life.
“For men, it’s so easy to put your head in the sand and not think about things like prostate cancer,” says Richard, 68, from Coventry. “That’s where I was. My good mate has been suffering with it for 11 years, his symptoms were typical – I had none. I wasn’t getting up at night or needing to go to the loo all the time. In fact, a friend had nicknamed me ‘the camel’ because I never needed to go!”
In September 2023, Richard started experiencing dizzy spells so visited his GP, who diagnosed vertigo and ordered some blood tests. Having had a conversation with his footie mates about prostate cancer tests, Richard suggested his PSA levels were checked at the same time “almost as an afterthought,” he says. “I didn’t think for a second there’d be anything wrong.”
Appointment
A couple of days later, Richard received a call that his levels of prostate specific antigen – a protein that can indicate prostate cancer – were raised. Within two weeks, he had an appointment with a urologist who couldn’t feel anything, but suggested an MRI.
“I was still in my hospital gown when they told me I was going to need a biopsy,” he recalls. “I said, ‘We haven’t actually had the results of the MRI yet so we don’t know’ and the doctor replied, ‘Well, we’re 97% sure you’ve got cancer.’
“My wife Jan and I just looked at each other. The shock was unbelievable, because I had no symptoms. My Gleason score – which is the all-telling score for prostate cancer – was nine out of 10.”
Fortunately, Richard’s cancer was localised and he was able to choose between a prostatectomy – removing the prostate – or radiotherapy.
“I opted for radiotherapy and was put on a trial. Normally, radiotherapy is about 20 sessions on every other day of the working week but they did mine over five days in April 2024, three one week, two the next week. You don’t feel anything different, they just give you a higher dose.”
To his huge relief, the treatment worked. “Once I’d finished, I went for a PSA test and the level was nought – they couldn’t trace it,” he says.
Richard was advised to remain active to maintain strength. “Bones can get brittle from radiotherapy and something that was very important to me was playing football. I’m not very good, but I’ve rediscovered how great it is and my one big worry was that I’d have to stop.
“But my oncologist and the specialist nurse said it was important to keep doing everything I was doing before.”
Richard now takes calcium tablets to strengthen his legs, particularly important as he’s on three years of hormone therapy injections to stop his body making testosterone to help reduce the risk of the cancer spreading outside of the prostate.
“Because of the hormone therapy, I’ve got all the symptoms of menopause,” he explains. “I get tired, emotional, I cry at the drop of a hat. I get hot flushes like they’re going out of fashion and spend the nights with my leg in and out of the covers. I say to Jan, ‘I’m having a moment!’.
“The hormones have made me put on weight. When I went to get back in my jeans after the summer only one pair out of five fit. They’re all in the cupboard waiting for when I finish the hormones.”
“I did exercises for my pelvic floor using the NHS Squeezy app – it’s good for bladder control too. I did that religiously for six months.”
Richard is now technically in remission. “I still can’t believe I’ve had it,” he says. “I’ve had no real pain and the thing that’s causing me issues is the treatment.
Nervous
“I do get nervous having blood tests as you’re on tenterhooks for the next week to find out what the levels are. After three years, it’ll just be six- monthly blood tests. Everybody tells me it’ll be fine, so I’m going to believe that.”
Richard’s football team has played a big part in his recovery. “Every time I play, somebody will ask if I’m OK and coping. I did have to slow down a bit and lost some strength in my legs but everyone was really supportive.”
While Richard is feeling positive, news stories about similar cases can knock him sideways. “When I heard Chris Hoy has incurable prostate cancer, I cried my eyes out. He didn’t have any symptoms either, he went to the doctor with a pain in his shoulder. We had big cuddles with the grandchildren that day.
“I took the decision when I was diagnosed to be really open, talk about it and share on Facebook. On the back of that, 15 people have been tested. One of them’s results were slightly high and now he’s being monitored.
“Something like this makes you realise you’re vulnerable. You get to a stage when you do need to go to the doctors and take care of yourself. You’re not invincible.”
Prostate Cancer UK is campaigning to highlight the issue that, of the one in eight men diagnosed with the disease, too many find out they have it by chance, often when it has spread and become harder to treat
