Hope for the future...

http://www.cancercompass.com/cancer-news/article/44449.htm?c=NL20130522

PSA result - excellent

PSA test result today came back <0.03 which is as good as zero. 

I have a reunion this weekend, meeting up with lads that I joined the Army with on 9th May 1967. We've all changed, only slightly :-) and it's something I'm really looking forward to.

Welcome to my lower back...

PSA testing in men from the age of 40?

An interesting article…questions the case for starting PSA testing in men from the age of 40!

CLICK HERE

"Nearly Half Of All Deaths From Prostate Cancer Can Be Predicted Before Age 50."

"A new design of screening could improve ratio between benefit and harms of screening."

MRI result...

Just had a call from the surgery to tell me that my MRI scan on the lower spine showed no cancer! It was always a worry as that's often the first area of spread, and even with a zero PSA 6 months ago, there's always the negative thoughts. So Monday I go and have my 2.5 year PSA followed by a chat with the doctor to see what is exactly wrong with my back. The receptionist says it's a long detailed report and there's little bits all over the place, so hopefully my chiropractor can shake and pull me back into position :-)

 I've just handed in my final essay of 3rd year at Uni so I am very happy that I don't have to reference anything for a very long time! 5 months now to catch up on family, have a shower, do some DIY, go on holiday and all the other stuff that's been on hold.

Importance of PSA testing...

Here is a link to a 9 minute video out today by Dr Myers where he is talking about the PSA test and active surveillance (careful monitoring). He is saying exactly what many of us patients and carers have been saying for years. He talks about it being a 'criminal' act if physicians ignore the PSA test. He talks about timely intervention on those men who are in the high or intermediate risk groups with careful monitoring of all other men. 
Whilst the NHS sits back and does very little we are losing one man every 52 minutes in the UK equivalent of three jumbo jets of men losing their lives every 
month a chilling comparison.

CLICK HERE

Not the hospital this time, blame the GPO...

Last week I complained because an emergency MRI appointment requested by my GP hadn’t come through to me in the time stated. Following this the MRI department at the Cumberland Infirmary kindly squeezed me in on Saturday morning, and I received first class treatment and attention. 

They assured me that an appointment had been sent out on time and that I had not showed up! I admit, I was sceptical!

In this mornings post I received that appointment, which was for the 10^th April, and was post marked 3^rd April, sent out well inside what I was originally told.

I would like to thank the MRI department and all who helped last week to resolve this matter, and also say sorry to the MRI department for doubting them.

Quick update...

Had MRI this morning, all went well but have to wait 7-10 days for result. Replaced Tramadol with Codeine/Paracetamol which seems ok on first try (thanks Bazza). On the way out this morning, noticed someone had scored my car with a key from front to back; hope they get hit by a truck later. 

Very good news...

I will not bore you with the details but…

I have an MRI scan tomorrow morning at 9am!!

Lots of emails, texts, phone calls flying back and forth today, inside and outside the NHS, and I don't know ultimately who is responsible for making this happen. Thanks to John, Irene, Jean & Sheena where I'm sure the answer lays, and a huge big thank-you to Beverley and to my brothers Paul and Andre for all your support.

Update...

You will not believe this! I phoned PALS just now, 01228 814008. Don't forget, this is the Patient Advice and Liaison Service, the number you phone when things are going bad for you at the hospital and you need someone to sort it. I've just got severe back pain, but there will be people with cancer and all sorts of terrible problems trying this number.

A voicemail says, "The office is unmanned as the service has been reduced, please leave a message…"

What do we do Cumbria? Where do we go? Should we give up?

Can I have an MRI scan please?

Keep in mind when reading this that I'm doing 'cold turkey', coming back from the land of tramadol and amitriptyline, and I don't feel brill just now.  I started this blog a few years back when I didn't feel so brill and it really helped then, in more ways than I could have ever expected!

So, what's up?

Well I think it all started down in London at the beginning of March, I stupidly carried some very heavy boxes, and they were very heavy. Stupidly, because I have a history of lower back spinal degeneration, and even though it will allow me to play badminton, it does not allow me to lift heavy stuff. No pain after the lifting, but a bit of a niggle the day after, thought I'd got away with it.

It was that weekend up in Glasgow, we were with Karen and David and my back was hurting, and hurting bad! Suddenly, I simply couldn't take another step. I froze with pain and Beverley helped me back to the hotel.

It was early of the following week, starting the 11th March, that I went to the doctors about the problem, but by then, the pain had spread from my lower back, into my hip, down the front of my leg and into my left knee. I saw a doctor, can't remember his name, but he thought the symptoms were of a trapped nerve, highly unlikely related to Prostate cancer as my PSA 4 months ago had been negligible. He gave me some tramadol, which I could take 4 times a day for the pain, and some amitriptyline, to take away the nerve pain. I had taken tramadol in a much smaller dosage after surgery 2 years ago, but was unfamiliar with the other drug.

After a week, I returned to my doctors, a different guy, a locom, but he was very sympathetic and I felt in good hands. The pain had now moved, in the main, from my lower back and was now in my thigh, but from my knee down to my ankle was completely numb. You could stick a pin in it, and nothing! He tested the reflexes on my right leg, fine. Then on my left leg, nothing at either the ankle or the knee; and I mean nothing. He was concerned enough to make me an 'emergency' MRI appointment. Because he was new to the practice and its systems, he asked someone who worked there how to do this, then he did it while I was there. It was rejected because a message came back saying that, 'unless the patient had displayed symptoms for at least 6 weeks, an emergency MRI could not be booked'. He seemed stunned! He phoned the hospital while I was there and spoke to someone in the MRI department who confirmed that this was the case, the reason being that most people with these symptoms would heal themselves before 6 weeks. Witchcraft or magic?! He explained that he was a doctor and had just examined me and that I had no reflexes in my left leg, and that he considered that I needed to be seen as soon as possible. The doctor left it at that, thinking that he had now booked me in for an 'emergency' MRI scan. Not so! Beverley phoned the hospital earlier this week, only to be told that I was not on the emergency list and it could be months before I get an appointment!

I don't know if I'm in danger, but I'm putting this all down in writing now because I know how much that helped me when trying to recall events of 2 years ago, when they left me without treatment for prostate cancer for 4 months before taking any action.

I'm not eating much, lost a stone in the past month and constipation only being eased by prune juice; yummy! 

Shame we had to cancel our holiday to Italy too, I know Beverley really needed that break but I couldn't have got on the plane. She wouldn't go without me, though I tried to make her, but that's how lovely she is.

Are they joking????

I've done my research on tramadol and it's a scary drug. I was on 500mg a day for 3 weeks and felt no pain, in fact looking back I hardly remember anything. I took 30mg amitriptyline every night, and this got rid of the nerve pains, which was a blessed relief I can tell you. But on further research, this drug is also prescribed for depression and I was taking it at it's max dose.

During this time I went to Becky who practices in a similar way to a chiropractor, tried to straighten me out, massaged all my bad bits and manoeuvred my back and legs to try and undo the problem. I gave up after 2 sessions because there was no improvement. She was a lovely person and tried so hard to give me confidence that it was temporary, and I think that what she does can really work for some.

Then the danger signs...

Beverley warned me that I was losing touch with reality earlier this week and said that I must do something to bring myself back. I was becoming a different person, and not a nice one! We both researched the problem I was having and the drugs I was on, then on Monday I cut down on the drugs. Wednesday, I decided that enough was enough and I quit completely…could have been a mistake, I don't know. 

The last 2 nights have been hellish! Little sleep, anxiety like I've never had it before, sweats, shakes…everything really! Day times are a little better, but still high anxiety. The back and thigh pain is not the main problem now, they are minimal, though the numbness from the knee to the ankle is the same in my left leg. Beverley takes me out during the day and I can walk a little, it's just nice to be with someone who cares so much. I'm dreading tonight, it's a whole different place where you're all alone and the demons visit.

This morning I went for a no.2, bang on time, no constipation, maybe I'm leaving the land of tramadol? I feel better now that I've written all this down, its sort of left me and I can relax a bit. I wrote a 3,000 word essay while I was in the land of tramadol, all about my personal reflection on wildlife conservation. I'd better read that again before I submit it, I think! I remember writing that the 'conservationist's bubble would be the last to burst in the cauldron of hell, where one day we will all meet our end'. Phew!

What now?

Well I'll write to PALS tomorrow, and ask how an 'emergency' MRI appointment, sent from my doctor to the hospital, managed to turn into a routine '6 month if you're lucky chap'?

I'll keep you posted, of course!

BBC Radio 5 Live interview...

My interview with Tony Livesey on BBC Radio 5 Live…

CLICK HERE

Where is your hospital on this table?

Click here to find out how many of the staff who work at your hospital would recommend it as a place to go for treatment.

Your help is needed...

I have been approached by a major national media company who are doing a story on the local NHS Trust in Cumbria. Have you in the past had reason to complain but found it very difficult? Have you a complaint in the pipeline now? Do you want to tell your story whatever it is?

Please contact me in confidence if you would like further information, either via this blog, or at dansencier@yahoo.co.uk or on 07731 758774.

Official launch of Six Nations Blog

You've had the 'sneak preview', now here's the main event with many changes after some of your feedback. Thank you!

http://trythesixnations.blogspot.co.uk/

Come on Ireland!!!!

Rugby Six Nations Blog (New)

Here's a sneak preview of my new blog, not replacing this one, but an additional one to cover my Rugby 6 Nations adventures. 
What do you think?

Click here for…The Six Nations Maul 

The Hungarian version...

After posting the film last week, I had a few requests from Romania to change the music! I had put Romanian music, forgetting that even though I was in Romania, the people were very much Hungarian in the village of Ozsdola.  


So, as requested - The Hungarian version...

http://youtu.be/6ZqxyldiQSk

Ojdula in May

Last year, we stayed in a small Romanian village called Ojdula during 'Expedition Romania'. I filmed dozens of short clips on my walks around the community and have just put them all together in this short film. I've added some traditional Carpathian music because one thing about this beautiful place, it was so quiet. I am currently putting a book together about the trip,  a fascinating journey through countries and personalities. 

http://youtu.be/qBlbIcgxAts

What will 2013 bring?

As 2012 is about to end, I've taken two steps that I hope will help further improvements in our NHS. I've become a member of my local health trust and will soon be standing for the position of Governor. On top of this I continue at University, now in my third year, but not without problems. Due to a cock up in the admin I was missed out of the students who are allowed access to the main media web site. This meant that I've completed 2 years without key information that was available to all other students in my year group. The enquiry is still ongoing, but it looks like I will be doing a fourth year (fully funded) to complete the media module. I don't mind too much, I love it there and the people are great, so what's another year? 

I'm out with the 'Fix the Fells' team early January, filming the BBC as they film the team at work around Aira Force near Ullswater. Then it's back to the Juniper Project and I have a huge amount of film to edit and still plenty to shoot.

Beverley bought me a massive telescope for Christmas, one of those almost as round as a beer keg that you can see footprints on the moon. I'm busy converting the attic into an observatory, but I haven't told her yet. Just need the clouds to clear, could be a long wait. 

Other plans for 2013 include a trip to Italy and another longer one to India, flying into Calcutta and out of Mumbai, so no chance of getting bored there. There's also the Rugby 6 Nations to look forward to in February/March when Ireland will top the table with England coming a close second…honest!

Happy birthday to my brother Andre on 1st January, it's going to be a fantastic year for him.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year, and hope to see many of you as we zig zag across the country.

My main message for 2013 as always is this…

If you know a man who you would miss if he wasn't there anymore, please ask him what his PSA is? If he hasn't got a clue what you are talking about, force him to the doctors to have a simple blood test. I know many men this year who were in their early forties and found that they had advanced Prostate Cancer, and had no symptoms to warn them. Had they gone for a PSA test a few years before, they could have been saved. It will never happen to your Dad, brother, cousin, son or friend, will it? Well it does to about 45,000 men in the UK every year, so why shouldn't it!

Thank God...

My 2 year blood test for PSA was taken on Tuesday, and I've felt ill with worry since. I wasn't supposed to call for the result until tomorrow, but I called my doctor's receptionist tonight on the off chance. She casually said…

"Yes, your PSA is fine, still under 0.03"

I gasped, "FUCK, thank God!", then quickly apologised as she laughed out loud and I tried my best not to cry. 

2 years cancer free! So pleased, so relieved, so happy. Now I can relax until the next time, in the spring, in the lovely month of May.

To my amazing surgeon, Mr Nimish Shah... Thank you.

It's been a while since I put this link up, but whatever stage you're at on your journey, it is so worth a visit...

YANA (You are not alone)

PSA... still a month to go!

3rd year has started now, the final year of my degree course and I hopefully graduate in July! This year is tough because it's all 'do it yourself' with very little time at the University, you are more likely to be out in the countryside or stuck in the attic writing. I've just handed my 'Cornwall Project' in, my first attempt at an interactive pdf, using 'Indesign'. Hey, I didn't even know what that was until a couple of months ago! Now we've all started on our final piece, mine being the Uplands for Juniper project with the Cumbrian Wildlife Trust, combined with a yet to be decided travel writing module. Any ideas?

One month still to go for my 2 yearly PSA test! My friend down south, Bazza wasn't so lucky with his, but has had radiotherapy since and I'm hoping it's going to be all good news there. All the others that I know, including Andrew are still all clear, so there's good times ahead. My army friend Roy who lives in Scotland, joined the same day as me in 1967, we share the same birthday, was diagnosed in August and is deciding whether to opt for surgery or radiotherapy. When I look at others from the forum though who I have been in regular touch with over the years, we have lost some amazingly brave men recently. 'Old Al' who was only in his early 50's, inspirational to the end, even when his PSA went over 7,000. Phil, one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and the list seems to go on.

I was asked in one interview by a student journalist, "did cancer draw your family closer together?" I had to answer, "No". It has drawn Beverley and I much closer together, but it stopped there really; even drove some of them further away :-) 

Nick Federico, a great friend of mine from about 1978 to 1988 contacted me through Facebook this week, just can't wait to meet up. Facebook is great in so many ways, and yes, there are down sides but on the whole it's been magic for me.

Did you see the new Alternative to PSA testing which has been developed by Professor Neil at Addenbrookes where I had my treatment. What do you think? Would make sense if so many men could have an alternative choice to surgery, knowing whether their cancer was likely to kill them.

So it's nearly the 5th November which is just as well, because at this time of year you can legally handle gunpowder and ignite it! As part of my Juniper project I need to film some gunpowder being used, so what better than to break open a whole pile of fireworks and play with the contents. Probably health and safety issues there, but it was fun in the 60's, so what's changed!

Look at this beauty that was on our kitchen window waiting for a meal a few nights ago…if you zoom in you can see it's a boy :-)

I'm having a few days off now...

Do you see the person that others see?

It IS possible to love your body as it is.

As pervasive and insidious as it is, you can fly in the face of societal programming.

Improving one's own body image perception is a process that occurs over time and requires shifting the way in which you define beauty and your own self-worth.

Key to making the shift to a positive body image perception is becoming acutely aware of the hidden messages about beauty that surround you. Recognizing the impact of these images and observing thought processes that lead you towards beliefs that undermine your self-love is an excellent place to start. 

Here's how:

1.) Notice when women or men are being portrayed sexually to sell a product and notice airbrushed images that do not accurately portray the female or male form. Recognize the beliefs that you conjure up from these images about your own beauty.

2.) Question what you are looking at and the hidden intentions behind what you see. Often, media images are intended to manipulate you into believing that you are not good enough so that you will then purchase a product.

3.) Form your own opinion about what it is to be beautiful. Include all of your amazing female and male qualities in your definition and don't forget, your personality counts in this equation! Working on your outer looks without working on your personality would be a big mistake, because the former will fade with age, but the latter will be with you forever. 

People can -- and do -- change their beliefs throughout the course of their lives. 

The most powerful and healthy belief systems are the ones that influence the love of and care for your body. When your body image perception improves and you begin taking better care of yourself, your confidence improves along with your health.

In direct opposition to what today's media and advertising purport, finding happiness and fulfillment is an inside-out job. Choose today to start being a critic of what you see in the media. Enjoy the positive effect this has on your entire life.

Recurrence

If your PSA starts to rise after you’ve undergone prostatectomy, so-called "salvage" radiation therapy might be a good option to explore. With this approach, external beam radiation is delivered to the area immediately surrounding where the prostate was, in the hopes of eradicating any remaining prostate cells that have been left behind. Radiation is more commonly being given after surgery for men with high risk disease (positive margins, seminal vesicle invasion, positive capsular extension), even in the absence of a PSA rise. If you did not get radiation immediately, doing so later based on a rising PSA is often reasonable. (Brachytherapy is not an option because there is no prostate tissue in which to embed the radioactive seeds.)

But the procedure is not for everyone. If there are obvious sites of disease outside of the immediate local area, if any tumor cells have been found in your lymph nodes, or if your Gleason score was 8-10, post-surgery radiation therapy may not be right for you. In this high risk situation, additional therapy may be warranted such as hormonal therapies or clinical trials. Also, in men who are considered good candidates for this therapy, it can be very effective, but five-year disease-free rates tend to be considerably higher in men whose pre-therapy PSA levels are lower than 0.2 ng/mL compared with those whose pre-therapy PSA levels are greater than 0.2 ng/mL. Therefore, if you and your doctors are considering post-surgery radiation, ideally you should start before your PSA goes above 0.2-0.4 ng/mL. Side effects from the radiation therapy can be moderately severe, and are additive to those previously received with surgery. These include rectal bleeding, incontinence (urinary leakage), strictures and difficulty urinating, diarrhea, and fatigue. Be sure to discuss with your doctors what you can reasonably expect before deciding on a course of therapy. In some cases, hormone therapy might be added for a short period before radiation to allow your urinary function to heal, or during the radiation treatment, which can also add to the side effects that you might experience.

Because the anatomy looks different and the tumor is often not visible on imaging or felt on DRE, the radiation oncologist has to carefully balance between delivering sufficient radiation to destroy the prostate cells while not damaging the healthy tissue. Once again, practitioner skill can make an important difference in outcomes.

In some cases, particularly if the tumor was considered high-grade and therefore at greater risk of spreading to the surrounding areas, your doctor might decide to initiate radiation therapy right after you’ve healed from your surgery. This approach, known as adjuvant therapy, typically starts about six weeks after surgery, and is unrelated to "salvage" radiation therapy that is administered if the PSA begins to rise.

This is a post from Dan Zenka's blog in the USA. It's so good that I thought it worth sharing....

It is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month—no better time than now to reset some thinking about this men's disease. It is the second most common form of cancer among men after skin cancer and the second leading cause of death of American men after lung cancer. In incidence and mortality, prostate cancer is to men what breast cancer is to women. Yet for many reasons, it has remained too long in the shadows. This problem fosters a good deal of misunderstanding about a disease that will be diagnosed in 242,000 American men and kill 28,000 of them in 2012. Globally, more than 16 million men and their families are challenged by prostate cancer.

Let me dispel some common myths right now: it is not just an old man’s disease, it is not “the good kind of cancer” with which to be diagnosed as it is not always slow growing as is commonly believed, and a family history is not always needed to be diagnosed. Further, prostate cancer is often asymptomatic, meaning you don't have to feel bad to have it growing inside your gland.

I know first hand.

At age 51 (not an old man in my book), two years after joining the Prostate Cancer Foundation in Santa Monica to head up their communications, I was diagnosed with my own case. Ironic? Perhaps. But not surprising. I already knew that one in six American men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Someone needs to fall into the statistics. Why should I have been given a pass?

Two months following my diagnosis, I had a radical prostatectomy (removal of the prostate) and the cancer appeared to be contained and the margins were mostly clear. Despite believing that we had gotten all those nasty cells, one week later, the post-surgical pathology report showed that the cancer had metastasized to my lymph nodes. I was suddenly a Stage 4 cancer patient with advanced disease. It was on to 35 sessions of radiation therapy (equivalent to more than 48,000 chest x-rays) and two years of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to cut my production of testosterone since this hormone of manliness fuels the proliferation and spread of prostate cancer. Despite all the side effects I have had to endure from a near total lack of testosterone, I have been fashionably manscaped for the past two years and a new crop of hair follicles has taken root on my once more sparsely populated scalp. I suppose there are upsides to anything if you look for them.

With 27 genotypes or varieties of prostate cancer, it is not always slow-growing. There are both the indolent, non-life-threatening types that a man will die with rather than of, and the very aggressive varieties. In between the two ends of the spectrum lie a number of varieties that require moderate rather than aggressive treatment. For those diagnosed with varieties that appear less aggressive (Gleason score 6), active surveillance is often a viable option.

Since the age of 40, I had been having annual PSA tests and a digital rectal exam (DRE) as part of my annual physical. Just before my diagnosis, my PSA score nearly doubled—a signal that triggered a biopsy and subsequent diagnosis. And yes, the PSA test—though not a cancer-specific test—indeed saved my life with its ability to set off the smoke alarm and alert my physician that something might be going wrong in my little walnut-sized gland.

Today, as I wean off of ADT, I have a 30 to 40 percent chance of one day hearing the words “you are cancer free.” If not, there are a range of additional treatments and new drugs to be tried once I become resistant to ADT, as most patients invariably do. From my perspective, working alongside the world’s leading prostate cancer researchers, I often tell fellow patients that there is no better time to be a prostate cancer patient, if you have to be one, than today. So, I remain optimistic.

The good news about prostate cancer is that with early detection and treatment, the 5-year survival rate is nearly 97 percent.

Here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones:

1. Help break down the barriers of “macho-dom” and make prostate cancer something to talk about. If we can openly rally to save the ta-tas, we should be brave enough to save our walnuts;

2. Share family medical histories;

3. If you are over 40, talk with your physician about when it is right for you to begin annual PSA testing and DREs so you can make an informed decision depending on your health, family history and other relevant factors;

4. Eat a healthy diet and exercise—research shows that lifestyle plays an important role in preventing prostate cancer and disease recurrence;

5. Eat more cruciferous vegetables, particularly broccoli, which contain high levels of sulphorophanes that aid in the repair of damaged DNA;

6. And finally—just because you won’t believe this one—do not char you meats. The amount of char on an 8-ounce steak carries a carcinogen (PhIP) that is the equivalent of your prostate smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes. This compound interfere with the normal replication and repair of DNA in the prostate which can lead to the development of cancer.

For more information on prostate cancer, including the most recent updates on research, visit the Prostate Cancer Foundation website at www.pcf.org.

The back ache is back!

Before I was diagnosed, over 2 years ago now, I suffered from severe back aches. The pain was so bad at times that I could barely walk, and if I needed to sneeze I would hold onto a lamp post or kneel down! This had been with me for several years and specialists said that it was simply disc degeneration, all part of the ageing process!

After surgery, as if by some miracle, this pain dissapeared. I was able to run again, it just wasn't there anymore and I even started playing badminton. I joked at the time that had I realised the back pain would go, they could have had my prostate gland years ago!

Last week, very suddenly and for no apparent reason, the pain came back. It was the same pain, like an evil old friend returning, just as bad and it won't go away. I often thought that during the surgery, because my body was elevated and the pressure on my spine relieved for over 6 hours, that something had just clicked back into place. Surely it wasn't the cancer causing this pain because my bone scan was clear?

Funny thing is, by hanging from the balcony and allowing my spine to stretch out with the weight of my body, the pain goes away instantly and doesn't return for hours. I warn Beverley before I do this, after all, finding your partner 'hanging' around the house can give cause for concern! It doesn't hurt at all during the night, but getting up in the morning is fairly hellish.

I'm not due a PSA test until December, but just to be on the safe side I am asking for one next week. If it's clear then great, I know that I have a back problem to deal with again. If it's not, then at least I won't be giving anything another 3 months to develop.

Anyone else had similar back trouble before or after surgery?

Broccoli?

Major award to study protective effects of broccoli consumption against prostate cancer

4 SEPTEMBER, 2012

The Prostate Cancer Foundation is providing $1M of funding to the Institute of Food Research and the University of East Anglia (UEA) to study the protective effects of broccoli consumption against prostate cancer.

It builds upon several years of research led by Professor Richard Mithen on the biological activity of a naturally occurring compound called sulforaphane that is obtained in the diet from eating broccoli.

Professor Colin Cooper (UEA), Professor Richard Mithen and Dr Maria Traka (IFR)

Professor Mithen and Dr Maria Traka will lead the research at IFR, and will collaborate with leading cancer genetics expert Professor Colin Cooper of UEA, and Mr Robert Mills and Professor Richard Ball at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.  Professor Cooper, supported by the Big C charity, has recently joined UEA’s Norwich Medical School and School of Biological Sciences.

This is one of nine ‘Challenge’ Awards made by PCF in an effort to accelerate scientific discovery and new treatments for prostate cancer patients. It was selected after rigorous peer review of 96 applications from 10 countries.  The unique capacity of the Norwich Research Park to integrate high quality plant science research, food research and clinical studies on a single campus was an important factor in the granting of this prestigious award.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK – with more than 35,000 cases diagnosed each year. Around 11,000 men in the UK die from the disease,” said Professor Cooper.

“It has long been thought that what we eat can play a part in the likelihood of developing prostate cancer but the responsible dietary components have not yet been identified.”

Men who eat diets rich in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, have been shown to have a lower chance of developing prostate cancer, or of progressing from localised cancer to more aggressive forms of the disease. Studies using model systems have suggested that sulforaphane, which is found at high levels in broccoli, may be behind the protective effects.

The new study will follow changes in the metabolism and gene expression in prostate tissue of men identified as being at risk of developing prostate cancer, and see how these changes are affected by eating a diet enriched with sulforaphane.

Professor Richard Mithen

“The results of this study could help men by providing evidence that diets rich in cruciferous vegetables or sulforaphane can reduce the likelihood of metastatic cancer, leading to the provision of higher quality dietary advice. It will also result in a greater understanding of metabolic and gene expression changes in prostate tissue that may lead to better drug development,” said Professor Richard Mithen.

“A change in diet could be a very simple way of decreasing the risk of developing prostate cancer, helping future generations to avoid the disease altogether,” said Professor Cooper.

“The receipt of this ‘Challenge’ award from the Prostate Cancer Foundation is very exciting news for Norwich Research Park and testament to the innovative research carried out by scientists in our Partner institutions,” said Matthew Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Norwich Research Park.

“The nine funding awards have only been given to those working in cross-disciplinary areas of research with near-term patient benefits. This is further evidence of the value seen by an increasing number of organisations in the unique combination of expertise on Norwich Research Park, ranging from fundamental research through to clinical trials and we are delighted by this endorsement.”

Quick update...

Just back from 3 weeks in France, 2 weeks in a tent and 1 on a narrowboat, what an amazing time. Still 3 weeks to go before Uni starts again and this time, I'm in 3rd year!! A lot of hard work before I hopefully graduate in July next year. What then? Who knows, the job market is tough for graduates, so how about a 61 year old graduate? I've got to do something with the final 39 years of my life and I'm sure there's something out there waiting.

Next PSA test is in December which seems miles away right now, and if all clear that takes me up to 2 years all clear after surgery.

Best wishes to Clive who is having this same surgery tomorrow. Give me a call if you need to talk in the coming weeks.

I'm getting married next year! What a girl ... xxxxx

Feeling a bit down and sorry for yourself?

Click on this and listen to the most inspirational person I've ever witnessed...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gc4HGQHgeFE&feature=share

Update...

Hello everyone! I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to post for the last month. I'm signed in as Beverley now as the issue still hasn't been resolved, but I don't mind showing my feminine side for a while :-) I can sign into my blog, but I can't seem to do much else with it! 

I still can't publish a final account for Expedition Romania because the DVLA are "investigating" my claim for a refund of the tax disc used on the 4x4 that I gave to the Serbian Mafia in Belgrade. I'll keep you in touch with that one as it unfolds!!

I got my 2nd year results yesterday, just short of a 1st but I reckon I can make that up by the time I hit the end of 3rd year in June 2013. It's fairly complicated how the marking works out. Your 1st year marks don't count, you have to pass and at the end of 1st year I was doing pretty well considering that I had cancer surgery half way through! I think it's 30% (may be 40%) of marks in 2nd year count towards the final mark at the end of the degree. You are allowed to drop the worse mark in 2nd year, thank god, and mine was a woeful 40% in web design. Just a pass at 40% and funnily enough it was the only module that I asked other students and tutors for any help on!! But I just couldn't grasp the concept as some of the youngsters floated through it. I think for my final piece next year I might do a good old fashioned book, paper with print on that I can relate to so much better than the techy stuff.

I got a Rav 4 4x4 SR180 yesterday, went all the way to Edinburgh to see it, but well worth the trip. Some sound advice from a friend of mine Derek, who is to cars as Houdini was to escapology, and the deal was done. 

So I now have a 12 year old Toyota Avensis going very cheap if anyone is interested?

I'd like to say hello to a lovely person called Dorothy who phoned me for advice this morning. She's having terrible trouble with the Cumberland Infirmary after being very ill and needing surgery. You are not alone Dorothy, as soon as you call me back we will start the ball rolling and get you sorted.

I was up at the University last week filming for their new TV advert. I got a speaking roll no less, even though I was reluctant to put on the make up before filming :-) It was good fun and I'm looking forward to seeing the end result.

On Saturday 30th June I went to our cancer support group meeting in Leicester, last year was my first time so this year I was a veteran! I took Beverley and we met some amazing men and their wives. 9 people had died since last year, which sent a shiver down me. I almost felt as if I was a cheat! Elise, the guardian angel for the group, came all the way from Ireland with her Mum Elsie, who's husband had sadly lost his fight a few months back. George did a great job again in organising the event and I'll certainly support it forever.

I've not only joined a Badminton Club, I'm winning some games! Now if you had told me that 18 months ago I would have laughed. I love it and looking forward to gaining some fitness so that I can improve  even more.

Beverley's last day at her old school last week, think I'm going to recommend her for an OBE. So many children crying there eyes out, so sad to see her go, but she's a magical teacher and I just know that her new school will be getting an inspirational new Head Teacher to start in September.

If you are one of the 100's of people who visit the Blog still every month, I hope you will look through my journey and take heart from it. Remember, when you are diagnosed, you must not leave your hospital in charge of your journey, you must manage your own case. I took that step after being ignored by my specialist, Mr Bashir at the Cumberland Infirmary for months. Not getting replies to letters, phone calls and e-mails, I was literally being left to die!!

Thanks to Mr Nimish Shah and the brilliant team at Addenbrookes, I have my life back. Be your own case manager and if you need help because at this point you know next to nothing, please contact me.