Bill McElroy considers himself an B次元官网网址渆xtremely luckyB次元官网网址� man.
He knows many people wouldnB次元官网网址檛 see him in that light, especially since heB次元官网网址檚 about to undergo surgery to remove a cancerous prostate gland.
Rather than sit at home, relax and wait for his scheduled operation Wednesday (April 15) at Victoria General Hospital, the fit 69-year-old Langford resident rounded off a brisk walk this week with a stop at the Gazette office to talk openly about his situation.
McElroy calls himself lucky, because if he hadnB次元官网网址檛 made a firm request of a walk-in clinic doctor a little over a year ago, the chain of events that led to his diagnosis might never have begun.
B次元官网网址淚f I hadnB次元官网网址檛 asked for that PSA test B次元官网网址次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚t just so happened I had the more aggressive, fast-growing type of prostate cancer.B次元官网网址�
Unlucky enough to have had his family doctor retire five years ago, leaving him without a regular physician, McElroy was left with having to rely on walk-in clinics for his health care.
Like many men, especially those as generally healthy as he is, he says, heB次元官网网址檚 not one to go to the doctor for just anything.
But when it comes to health scenarios that need regular monitoring, walk-in clinics often lack the continuity needed, he adds. B次元官网网址淵ou never know who youB次元官网网址檙e going to get the next time you go in.B次元官网网址�
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test orders, not unlike mammograms for women, generally require the patient to have a regular doctor to send the results to. McElroy was fortunate that in his situation, the results were secured by the clinic which ordered the PSA test initially, and they let him know they needed to see him.
His baseline PSA serum concentration reading wasnB次元官网网址檛 off the chart at first, slightly higher than what is considered normal, McElroy says. Having been referred to a urologist by the clinic doctor, however, he saw increasingly higher numbers in subsequent testing.
McElroy, the studious board chair and treasurer of the Pacific Centre Family Services Association in Colwood and longtime board volunteer around Greater Victoria, read a lot on the topic and researched possible options for people in his situation. In consultation with specialists, he chose to go with complete removal of his prostate gland.
At the end of the day, heB次元官网网址檚 glad he took action when he did, but he questions the long-term prognosis for health care when thousands of people in Greater Victoria donB次元官网网址檛 have a regular doctor.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 not angry, but I hoped this use of walk-in clinics would be a stopgap measure,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淲hat happens in the long run if someone has undetected breast cancer or prostate cancer?B次元官网网址�
Their chances of survival go down dramatically, says Leanne Kopp, executive director of The Prostate Centre in Victoria.
B次元官网网址淚f caught early, (treatment of) prostate cancer has a 90- to 95-per-cent chance of success,B次元官网网址� she says.
Kopp agrees with McElroy that middle-aged and older men, especially those using walk-in clinics, need to become advocates for themselves for prostate health.
B次元官网网址淎s doctors retire, (family) practices are much more difficult to get into,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚n terms of something like a PSA test, where you need to follow that number from year to year, thatB次元官网网址檚 when men tend to fall between the cracks. WhatB次元官网网址檚 important is creating that baseline.B次元官网网址�
The PSA test has been the subject of controversy of late. Critics argue that many men with elevated PSA serum readings, including some for whom slow-growing prostate cancer would not pose a higher-than-average health risk, are being recommended for more invasive testing, such as biopsies, that carry a risk of further health problems.
Despite the B次元官网网址渘eedle-in-the-haystackB次元官网网址� bad press, Kopp insists that the PSA test B次元官网网址渋s really right now the best screening tool for prostate cancer. Until something comes out that can be a better screening tool for men, this is the best way (to detect cancer early).B次元官网网址�
McElroy says that since he started letting people know about his situation, heB次元官网网址檚 heard a number of related stories.
B次元官网网址淥ne today concerns an older man who hadnB次元官网网址檛 had a prostate exam for years,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淟ike me, he had no pain or symptoms, so never thought about it. Apparently, when they did a PSA, he scored over 600 (a B次元官网网址渘ormalB次元官网网址� reading is in the 4.0 to 6.0 range). After an exam, he was told it was really too late to do anything, because the cancer had spread throughout his body. Another point for early detection.B次元官网网址�
To find out more about PSA testing and its benefits and risks, visit or talk to a physician.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com
