Good Service Intervals?

Last month we reported that MGOC member Roy Tooth had, very generously, donated his MGB to raise funds for Prostate UK. Having been successfully treated for prostate cancer 11 years ago Roy was keen to promote awareness among men in the at-risk group through the sale of his very original MGB which he’d owned from new. Roy’s intention was not simply to raise money for Prostate UK, which is the only charity dedicated to fighting not just cancer but all forms of prostate disease, but also to draw attention to a condition few men take seriously enough.

MGOC’s Richard Monk and Richard Ladds volunteers for the Well-Man check up

We all take very good care of our MGs, recognising the need for correct servicing, ensuring that only quality replacement parts are fitted and using only the best engine oil. We’re also aware that the car must be set up correctly, all of which ensures that our MGs are reliable and will last. Few of us can claim to have the same level of consideration for our own health and, while we spend considerable amounts on our MGs, our bodies seldom get the same attention. This is particularly true of most men, including myself, and many other male members of the MGOC over 50 who make up the highest at-risk group for prostate diseases.

My work on Enjoying MG has made me increasingly aware about prostate diseases but through a contact in Prostate UK, the small national charity based in Putney, London, I was invited to attend a full ‘Well Man’ check by Professor Mike Kirby along with my colleague Richard Monk. After our check-ups we then had a joint consultation with Mike Kirby’s Professor brother Roger, one of the UK’s leading urologists, and a world expert on prostate diseases, who operates out of the Prostate Centre in Wimpole Street, London.

Just for clarity, it is important to know what the prostate is, where it is and what it does; apart from your skin the prostate, which is found only in men, is one of two other organs that grow throughout a man’s life – the other being your ears. It is a tiny gland the size of a walnut, and its role is to produce the fluid in which semen swims. It sits immediately below the bladder and the urethra, the tube through which urine is emptied out through the penis, runs right through the middle of it. Baby boys have tiny prostates and during puberty, the prostate is triggered into growth by a surge of testosterone. This growth is generally non-malignant, and confined entirely inside the prostate, but if the growth of the gland swells sufficiently to constrict the urethra, and this generally happens when you are older, it can make it hard for the man to empty his bladder properly, leading to a constant feeling of fullness. When he tries to ‘go’, his flow is weak and he may even suffer embarrassing ‘leakage’. As a result, disturbed nights can result, and if urine builds up inside the bladder, it can lead to ‘back-flow’ to the kidneys, causing kidney infections. It can also lead to sleep loss for him and his partner and adversely affect whole families.

Like most men, I don’t necessarily take the best care of my health. I’m overweight, my blood pressure is on the high side and I don’t exercise, so I tick quite a few of the boxes as far as a risk assessment is concerned. The ‘Well Man’ medical included, weight, heart and blood pressure, a test to measure how effectively I pee, a physical examination of my prostate and of course a prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test. PSA is a protein produced by both normal and cancerous prostate cells. A high level of PSA can be a sign of cancer, but your PSA level can also be raised in prostate conditions that are benign, or if you have an infection.

After making a thorough check of my physical condition Professor Mike Kirby also talked to me about my life-style and gave some sensible advice on ways to establish a healthier routine. Twenty minutes exercise in the morning and the evening can make all the difference according to him and so far I’ve tried to achieve this.

A week later a letter arrived with a very comprehensive breakdown of the results of the check-up. On the good side my PSA was normal and, in most respects, I was in reasonably good health but my weight was a cause for concern and my tests revealed an estimated cardiovascular risk of 22% over ten years. However, this risk level could be reduced to 8% by addressing the slightly raised cholesterol and triglycerides levels in my blood and my blood pressure could also be improved by losing some weight by an exercise regime.

Although there is some comfort in my results there is also the distinct feeling that I have been warned and the remedy is in my own hands.

Although my PSA test was normal the important thing is to have yearly check-ups because it is a rise in PSA levels that can been an indicator that the possibility of cancer exists. Your own GP and local health centres should be able to provide a PSA test. The process is straightforward, does not take long and only the optional digital rectal examination (DRE) could be described as mildly uncomfortable.

More than a quarter of all men over the age of 50 and half of those over 60 will suffer from some form of prostate problem during their lives. Therefore it may well be you or a friend or relative who over a period of time, starts to experience some of the symptoms; these can typically be an increased need to pee more frequently or, conversely, when it becomes very difficult and even painful to relieve oneself. In either case seek medical advice. Don’t forget that you may have no symptoms at all but you could still be at risk which is why the necessity for routine PSA tests is so important.

The stark facts are that prostate cancer is diagnosed in 35,000 men every year, most of them over 50, although it can affect men over 40 whose fathers, brothers or uncles have had prostate cancer. In excess of 10,000 men a year die of the disease, most because they are not diagnosed quickly enough which reinforces the need for routine PSA testing.

Benign prostate disease affects 60 per cent of men over 60 and can cause multiple symptoms, yet they can be easily and simply treated, by drug therapy, surgery or more recently non-invasive techniques such as green light laser.

Prostatitis, is a nasty inflammation of the prostate that is generally caused by a bacterial infection can affect men of any age. It is currently believed that almost half the male population will suffer a single episode of prostatitis at some time.

For myself, I had no symptoms and only attended the ‘Well Man’ check in order to research this piece for the Enjoying MG, yet I have come away with clear indicators that I could be at risk if I don’t modify my lifestyle. Richard Monk had similar results and will also have to increase the frequency of his visits to the gym. I would urge any man in my age group to get a PSA test and a ‘Well Man’ check up at the first opportunity.

Further articles on the specifics of each of the three prostate diseases will follow in successive publications in Enjoying MG but, in the interim, for further information on the prostate and full, explanatory leaflets (distributed at no cost to recipients) contact Prostate UK, 10 Northfields Prospect, Putney Bridge Road, London SW18 1PE or call 020 8877 5840

Richard Ladds