Prostate cancer affects 47,500 UK men in the UK every year, yet still it remains a condition that many feel embarrassed or unwilling to speak about and confront.
As with all aggressive illnesses, early detection is vital to get the best treatment and most positive long-term outcome. With this in mind, we share five facts about the condition in order to help de-stigmatise it.
1) Prostate Cancer is a common disease
In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common form of male cancer. 400,000 men currently live with the disease, or have survived after having recovered from it. 11,500 deaths per year occur from the condition, equating to one death every forty-five minutes. one man out of every eight will receive a diagnosis in their lifetime.
2) Most men survive the condition
As previously mentioned – early detection is critical to secure the best prognosis. In ninety percent of cases, detection happens whilst the cancer remains within the prostate gland, which can be treated successfully. In most instances, prostate cancer forms slowly and may not be fatal. In cases where the cancer grows faster, early detection will help to combat this and treat it accordingly.
3) Older men should be screened regularly
Screening is the most common method for determining whether prostate cancer is present within the body. This is performed by a blood test called a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and examination of the prostate gland – a digital rectal examination. Men aged fifty or older are encouraged to be tested for cancer through their GP, though men at higher risk would be wise to get checked earlier in life.
Those more at risk are black men, or men who have a family history of prostate cancer. If you have any concerns, we would strongly recommend talking to your GP before deciding to go through with the cancer screening tests. Your doctor will know best as to whether it’s appropriate to undergo testing or not.
4) Most men won’t experience symptoms of the cancer
In most cases, symptoms won’t be apparent. However, it is important not to overlook any urinary symptoms that may indicate issues. Symptoms which need reporting include:
- Difficulty passing urine
- Passing urine more frequently during the day
- Urinating more than once or twice throughout the night
- Straining to pass urine
The above symptoms tend to become common as men age, and may simply be caused by an enlarged prostate which can also be easily treated. Never ignore blood in the urine (haematuria) as, although this is highly unlikely to be caused by prostate cancer, both men and women should be checked out to ensure that nothing sinister is causing it.
5) The majority of men with prostate cancer have no symptoms at diagnosis.
Treatments for prostate cancer vary, as it is based upon the age of the patient, the type of prostate cancer, how far the disease has spread (if it has even breached the prostate to begin with), patient preference and other medical conditions the sufferer may have.
It may be necessary to receive expertise from a urologist, an oncologist or radiation oncologist to find out which treatment avenues are appropriate before making the final decision. The most common types of treatment are:
- Surveillance – Some prostate cancers present a low risk and don’t require treatment. In this case, blood tests, examinations, scans and biopsies will be employed regularly to keep monitoring the cancer for changes.
- Radiotherapy – Radiotherapy can be administered in two forms. Brachytherapy puts radioactive seeds into the prostate to kill the cancer cells, whereas External Beam Radiotherapy uses X-rays to kill cancerous cells.
What do I do if an incorrect or delayed diagnosis has affected my health or prognosis?
In the case of an incorrect or delayed diagnosis, it may be possible to claim damages for any negative health or financial impacts caused. Likewise, botched treatment or related negligence may have affected the outcome. If this has happened, we would encourage you to get in touch with our specialist Medical Negligence team.
Who Can Make A Claim?
The victim of the negligence can bring about a claim. However, it can sadly be the case that the patient is no longer with us. In such circumstances, the executor of the estate and/or the surviving dependents may be able to bring about an action.
Our specialist team will be able to advise whether you are able to bring about a claim and answer any questions you have or a no-obligation, free consultation.
How Long Do I Have To Bring About A Claim?
Claims of this nature are time-sensitive. As a victim of negligence, you will have three years to commence Court proceedings from either the date the negligence occurred or the date you became aware that negligence had occurred.
Claims brought on behalf of deceased loved ones are subject to a three year period to bring about a claim from the date of death.
Our specialist team will talk you through timeframes and answer any questions you may have. As these claims are lengthy to conclude the sooner you start investigations into a claim the better.
How Much Is My Claim Worth?
It is often difficult to value Medical Negligence claims at their outset given the complexities involved. However, we will pursue two forms of compensation for you:
- General damages – An award of money for the pain and suffering you have endured as a result of the negligence.
- Special damages – An award of money for all of your out-of-pocket expenses, such as travel, medication costs, loss of earnings, and treatment costs both past and future. This list is not exhaustive and is very case-specific.
Further reading
Our comprehensive Prostate Cancer guide.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If your prostate cancer diagnosis was delayed or initially missed entirely, get in touch today for a free initial consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9787 to find out how we can help you.
Article by Stuart Jones
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