Three of the country's leading experts in prostate cancer have all been diagnosed with prostate cancer. One surgeon from Sheffield is warning men to get tested.
Prostate cancer specialist shocked by his own diagnosis
John, who has now left his job at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, said:
"I'd always envisaged I'd become a great world traveller as soon as I'd retired, we were going to get the perfect motor home - my wife and I were going to enjoy things. I don't think that's going to happen now, so you go for the more short term things.
"The blinkers fall away, and all the things that seem to be important to you before, they're much less important, and you see the things you really value."
– Prostate cancer specialist John Anderson
John discovered a swelling in his abdomen. It turned out to be a cancerous growth in his liver - but this was secondary. Doctors found the primary source was prostate cancer. He was shocked as he had done a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test just a few months before, which was normal.
John, who found a swelling in his abdomen before he got tested, added: "I had no reason to get tested for prostate cancer again - and there were no real symptoms apart from a swelling. So it's very important for men to get themselves checked out.
"Men tend to think - oh, that's a problem, but it will go away. They shouldn't do that - prostate cancer can be treated, and cured."
Common symptoms include:
needing to urinate more often, especially at night - for example if you often need to go again two hours after urinating
difficulty starting to urinate
straining or taking a long time to finish urinating
a weak flow when you urinate
a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
needing to rush to the toilet - you may occasionally leak before you get there
dribbling urine
However, early on, there are often no problems with urination.
John, who found a swelling in his abdomen before he got tested, added: "I had no reason to get tested for prostate cancer again - and there were no real symptoms apart from a swelling. So it's very important for men to get themselves checked out.
"Men tend to think - oh, that's a problem, but it will go away. They shouldn't do that - prostate cancer can be treated, and cured."
Common symptoms include:
needing to urinate more often, especially at night - for example if you often need to go again two hours after urinating
difficulty starting to urinate
straining or taking a long time to finish urinating
a weak flow when you urinate
a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
needing to rush to the toilet - you may occasionally leak before you get there
dribbling urine
However, early on, there are often no problems with urination.
Prostate specialist diagnosed with the cancer he treats
John Anderson and his wife Sarah
Three of the country's leading prostate cancer specialists have all been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
They've launched a campaign to warn men of the dangers of the disease. One of the consultants is John Anderson who was a surgeon at the Royal Hallamshire hospital in Sheffield.
His cancer was found in his liver and traced back to his prostate. The father of five is living on borrowed time and says more men should be aware of how lethal the disease is. He was given until Christmas, but has so far defied the odds.
