Prostate Cancer Awareness Month - Cedric's story

3 minute read time.

This is a banner showing a photograph of Cedric, with the heading 'Prostate Cancer Awareness Month'.

This is the second blog for Prostate Cancer Awareness Month written by a Macmillan volunteer reviewer. Today’s blog is written by Cedric. He writes about the difficulties caused by the late effects of radiotherapy for prostate cancer, and how he is still able to lead an active life and give back.

My name is Cedric. I live in Greater Manchester. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005 when aged 53. Following five years of PSA tests and other monitoring and a research study, I had radiotherapy.

When I began treatment, I specifically asked to have it at the Christie Hospital. I found the Macmillan nurse particularly helpful in preparing me for the immediate side effects of the radiotherapy. After my treatment, I was discharged to my GP practice and I continue to have PSA tests every six months or so.

This blog focuses on late side effects of the radiotherapy, which I began to experience only after I had been discharged to my GP. Having been discharged as a cancer patient, I had difficulty in being referred to the appropriate consultant for the side effects. I found the Macmillan leaflet Managing the late effects of pelvic radiotherapy in men and took it with me to my consultant appointment with my symptoms marked. It helped for me to identify what side effects I had, in order to get some help.

The side effects relate to my bowel and urinary functions. Frequency and urge to urinate were a particular problem when I was still at work. Now that I am retired and at home most of the time as my wife’s main carer, the problem is still there, but I can visit the toilet more or less whenever I want.

The bowel side effects started later. I am a now a patient of a bowel consultant with appointments every six months or so. A number of treatments have been tried. I still frequently wake up several times a night with an urgent need for a bowel movement. This affects my sleep pattern, making me very tired during the day. This can make caring for my wife difficult. Currently, my treatment consists of tablets which I can take up to five times a day. I take two or three a day spaced out during daytime and evening. This helps with my bowel movements.

Despite the late effects of my treatment, I am able to care for my wife and volunteer for Macmillan. Because of the support I had from Macmillan during my diagnosis, treatment and subsequent late side effects, I wanted to help with Macmillan’s work to support others. I do this with donations, reviewing draft publications and attending local groups - such as Manchester Cancer.

Over 10 years on from diagnosis and treatment, I am very grateful for the treatments that do enable me to live an active life and contribute in some way to Macmillan.

To see what else Macmillan's cancer information team has been blogging about, please visit our blog home page! You can subscribe to receive our blogs by email or RSS too.

We're with you every step of the way

The Macmillan team is here to help. Our cancer support specialists can answer your questions, offer support, or simply listen if you need a chat. Call us free on 0808 808 00 00.

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Anonymous
  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Thanks Cedric - a very useful contribution to the all-too-rarely discussed issue of late effects of treatment.

    In my case though we are talking more very-very-late effects and, in such circumstances it is even more essential that things like 'Managing the late effects....' booklet cover the whole - and I really do mean - the whole story fully. (I said as much when I submitted my own review comments, and I really do hope the next edition is suitably improved.) 

    No family GP can be expected to know everything, and so it really is crucial that we the recipients of 'therapy' carry with us the knowledge that even decades on our treatment history might be a factor. One can appreciate that it is not possible to mention every and any extremely rare consequence in every publication or post-treatment discharge meeting, but to not do so risks sentencing those who have the misfortune to be so afflicted with years of fear, frustration and even serious but pointless surgery. And saying that one should always talk to your oncologist or cancer nurse if you have any worries rather misses the point. Ten, twenty and thirty years on, you don't have an oncologist or a cancer nurse! You have a GP, who has almost certainly never ever seen what you might actually have. Other than that, all you have is yourself, and if you weren't warned when you were being treated, you too have no reason to even think that your strange symptoms could have anything whatsoever to do with your long-ago cancer history. 

    In my case, it was testicular cancer in 1976 and, looking back, my own late-effect may have started to surface about twenty years or so later, in the mid 1990s.

    It then took the best part of another twenty years before I was diagnosed. (You can find the full story at

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    I'm new here and seek general help. I'm a 71 year old man and a small (5%) tumour was found 12 years ago. A number of biopsies over 4 years showed no growth and the consultant said just continue psa tests - the tests didn't exceed 7.3. Now it's 8.3 and my doctor wants Mri scan and maybe a biopsy. Any advice will be appreciated - many thanks.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Dedalus47, I've turned this into a post for you on the Prostate cancer group.

    You can find it here - new here

    Best wishes,

    Jess

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Dedalus47, Looks like Jess has set you up on the Prostate cancer group which is great. I hope you find the Online Community a helpful source of support. Do remember you can also call our support line on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, closed Good Friday and Easter Monday) to have a chat or to speak to a cancer information specialist nurse. I hope that is of some help. All the best, Liza

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi rilp,

    Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad that you were pleased to see this topic discussed. We will be posting another blog about the late effects of cancer treatment later this month. Keep an eye out for it!

    It's great that you've found the Online Community. I hope it's providing some support. If you’d like further support or to speak to someone on the phone, please call the free support line on 0808 808 00 00, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. 

    Thanks and all the best,
    Liza