Success Stories

Max Stinchcombe (54)

Max is a happily married man with two children who has a rewarding career as a bank manager in Southampton and likes to spend his weekends on the golf course. In fact, it was on the golf course four years ago that he first learnt he had prostate cancer.

"I had just had a routine company medical which showed a slightly elevated PSA (prostate specific antigen) score which I was told could be indicative of the early stages of prostate cancer. My wife was very concerned and insisted that I go to the GP to get it checked out. My GP immediately referred me to a urologist who took a rather painful biopsy."

The results of the biopsy were due back on the day of an important golf match, so Max left his wife to take the call convinced nothing was wrong. "I will always remember my wife calling me on the first.hole with the momentous words - Max, you have cancer", said Max. "I immediately went into the stereotypic man's response by denying anything was wrong and carried on playing golf as usual. I even stayed for the prize giving ceremony in the evening."

When Max got home he found his wife in tears and he realised the potential severity of his condition. "I decided to take control of this disease and went on-line to research possible treatment options", said Max. "I also contacted the Prostate Cancer Charity which had fantastic patient information and were extremely helpful. The treatment I decided I wanted was brachytherapy, a convenient `one-stop shop` which uses radioactive seeds to destroy the cancer cells. Results showed that the side effects from brachytherapy were less severe in terms of incontinence and impotence than traditional surgery and that was very important to me as I was only 50 at the time."

Max had his brachytherapy at the St Luke's Cancer Centre in Guildford performed by Professor Stephen Langley. "I was slightly sore and uncomfortable afterwards, but had no side effects and was back at work in two days. So far there is no sign of the cancer returning"

Max actually had to go to the USA four months after his treatment. "It was rather amusing", he said, "as the radioactive seeds were still active and I had to have a letter from Professor Stephen Langley at St Luke's Cancer Centre to get me through airport security - there was no way I wanted another body search!!"

Paddy Kelly (52)

Paddy Kelly is an airline pilot with a leading airline. He had never even heard of the prostate until a routine medical check and blood test by my GP in December 2005 revealed a high PSA (prostate specific antigen). Paddy's PSA was 27ng/ml. The normal range is between 0-4ng/ml. A high PSA score such as this is often indicative of prostate cancer.

Paddy was referred to a urologist in Ireland who took eight biopsies. "Not a pleasant procedure", Paddy remembers. The results, however, came back clear and Paddy was put on a "wait and see" policy even though he had other symptoms. Not reassured by this diagnosis Paddy requested a second opinion in the UK and, in February 2006, 14 more biopsies were taken this time under general anesthetic. Once again they came back clear. But his PSA score was still too high. Paddy also had a bone scan, which came back negative. His doctor gave him a course of antibiotics in case it was just a urinary infection.

"I was becoming increasingly concerned", said Paddy. "My mother had died of cancer and my sister had breast cancer, so I decided to go on line and do my own research."

Luckily, Paddy came across the St Luke's Cancer Centre in Guildford run by Professor Stephen Langley, a urologist specialising in prostate cancer. "I read that Stephen performed a different type of biopsy which was more accurate and so I made an appointment to see him. This time the results of the biopsy were all too clear - I had bilateral prostate cancer with a Gleason of 6/7 and needed to make a decision about treatment without much delay. This was now June 2006, six months since my initial PSA check."

Paddy was given hormone treatment and external beam radiation before receiving brachytherapy in December 2006, a treatment which places radio active seeds in the prostate to destroy the tumour. "The short time side effects from the hormone treatment and EBR were not great but apart from feeling a little uncomfortable from the brachytherapy I had no other long term side effects from this treatment. It was so convenient - I was back at work almost immediately."

Paddy was advised not to have surgery to remove the prostate as incontinence is a common side effect. "That is something I simply cannot afford to suffer from as a pilot. My career is very important to me".

Paddy now has a PSA score of 0.08 and is optimistic that he is clear of cancer!!