| Registered Charity No 1115844 |
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Updates
European Men's Health Forum Editorial
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A Personal Message My name is Reg Williams. I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer in July 2005, although I did not have any symptoms I had a blood test at my doctors and found out that my PSA level was 100 (norm is less than 4) and the cancer has spread into the soft tissue. I am 56 years old and a self-employed business man in Newport South Wales. I was always very fit, never had any illness until recently so this was a major shock to me and my loved ones. I feel not enough is being done to screen men on a regular basis. The current system is too late - only when symptoms appear are doctors able to help; no formal screening procedure exists within the primary healthcare system. I believe early diagnostics will help save lives and give men more time to get the correct level of treatment. The reason for the blood test is a strange one and a story in itself. I was totally unaware men over the age of 50 are at risk from Prostate Cancer. It is for this reason that a small number of friends and I are working to make men more aware. The NHS was and still is set up to treat people that are sick, those that have symptoms requiring treatment and aftercare, the need for prevention and routine diagnosis does not fall within this framework. Testing for prostate cancer currently monitors the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigens). This procedure is not accurate and is only an indicator, and we urgently need to fund research into a new reliable test The clinical future of cancer patients within the healthcare services needs to be reviewed with a view to implement centres of excellence operating seven days a week - every day is important to a cancer patient and he needs to know all is being done to treat his illness. |