A dad's life was turned upside-down when a simple test revealed he was suffering from a form of cancer.
Kevin Saunderson, 47, from West Derby, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in August 2022 - despite experiencing no symptoms of the potentially deadly disease, which affects the small gland underneath the bladder.
He said: "No one wants to hear those words 'I'm afraid it's cancer'. I was only 46 and didn't experience any symptoms that would suggest I had the disease, so I was in total shock. I'm usually someone who looks for a joke in any situation, but not this time.
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"I was sitting in the room probably five minutes before I was told about it. Then after that, it just doesn't sink in. You're just in a blur, so I didn't break down right away. It was more shock, if anything."
Kevin, a dad of two, was given his diagnosis following a routine 'well man' blood test in April 2021, which found the protein levels in his prostate (PSA) were abnormally high.
He said: "Not everyone has symptoms. I was quite lucky, because I got a call from my GP for a blood pressure check, and while I was there the nurse at the time said, at my age, I qualified for a 'well man's blood test. Within a week I had a phonecall to say my PSA levels were high. I had no idea what a PSA level was.
"I was then asked to go for a rectal exam, and from that exam it was identified that my prostate was enlarged. I had a couple of MRI scans; I had a biopsy taking samples from my prostate, and it was identified I had stage two cancer."
After discussing the situation with his wife, he decided to have surgery to remove the gland in March this year.
He said: "Originally I was thinking we could monitor it, but the anxiety was getting to me, every day waking up thinking I've got cancer inside me, and is it going to get to a point where it spreads and there's nothing more they can do.
"I 100% feel I made the right decision. For my own peace of mind, I think it was the right thing to do."
Kevin, a student housing manager, has now thrown his support behind Prostate Cancer UK's “What on Earth is a prostate?!” campaign, which aims to educate men. He can be seen in the charity's new “What on Earth is a prostate?!” TV advert, in which actor Colin McFarlane addresses "myths and misinformation" about the disease.
In a survey of more than 2,000 men, the charity found more than two thirds (71%) of North West men did not know what the prostate does, and 43% did not know where it was in their body, leading to "dangerous misconceptions" about the disease.
Almost two thirds (63%) of North West men think those at a high risk of prostate cancer will be invited for a test, but there is currently no screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK. Middle-aged men are considered higher risk and are entitled to a PSA blood test from their GP, but may not be automatically offered one.
Some 55% of North West men are concerned about having a rectal exam and 41% of these men would put off speaking to their GP due to this worry. However, the first step to checking for prostate cancer is a routine blood test, with rectal examinations only being used when needed.
Chiara De Biase, director of support and influencing at Prostate Cancer UK, said: “It’s especially concerning how many men believe they’ll see signs of early stage prostate cancer and would avoid speaking to their GP if they didn’t have symptoms, when we know that prostate cancer doesn’t usually have any symptoms at all until it’s already spread and become incurable.
“On top of this, far too few men know the main factors that put them at risk. This is especially important in the North West, where earlier this year we highlighted the fact that more than 1 in 6 men with prostate cancer were being diagnosed at a stage where it’s too late for a cure – compared to just 1 in 8 men living in London.”
Kevin added: "One thing I think should be done is to have screening for men. It's something that should be brought up automatically. We shouldn't have to contact our GP first - it should be standard for a male of a certain age to be called for a simple blood test to see if their PSA levels are high.
"Don't be scared, just go and get it checked. If we reach just one person with this campaign, we will have achieved something."
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