Have just returned from my clinical meeting at the Royal Free Hospital today. I have finally met the main consultant for my prostate cancer – a rather ‘jolly hockey-sticks’ type lady, but clearly very knowledgeable. I continue to consider myself to be in good hands at the Royal Free.
As for the meeting I knew that it would not be hugely important. The consultant has now put me on a course of anti-biotics, because the most likely cause of the pain I’ve been having is prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate). In fact as part of my examination she gave me a DRE which was quite painful.
She has also asked for a urine test when she heard that I have been having blood in my urine. This is almost certainly from the prostate rather than a bladder infection but she quite rightly wants to be sure. She explained that the cancerous prostate bleeds because the cancer cells try to make new blood vessels to feed themselves.
We have booked in the next clinical meeting in March following a CT scan in February. This meeting will be critical. It will enable us to see just how far the cancer has spread through the lymph system. If it has not spread too far it is likely I will start a course of radiotherapy.