Prostate cancer InsightsIssue 11 | Winter/Spring 2018 Perfect pitch The black men using golf to save lives Prostate cancer and me MICHAEL HOLDING Our biggest ever research programme The million-pound plan to kickstart a precision medicine revolution Insights | Winter/Spring 2018 1 Inbox Prostate cancer and Get in touch and me: Michael Holding have your say The former West Indies Editor’s 3 14 bowler talks to us about INBOX Very well done you football note managers and players Prostate cancer news going public with his family Tell us what you think about the magazine and our stories online at When I ask people what [supporting our awareness The latest research history of prostate cancer prostatecanceruk.org/news. We want to hear what you’ve got to say. developments and why he thinks the they know about Prostate drive]. Young men look to 4 disease is still a taboo Cancer UK, often the first you as role models: you Our precision thing they say is that we’re are an inspiration! plan of attack The Manual an awareness charity. And Geoff Ludden Find out more about Our Specialist Nurse while that’s partly true, 6 our biggest ever answers your top our huge role in scientific Dear Insights Dear Insights research programme 16 questions about treatment research is often missed. I am getting very annoyed with the GPs are unaware of many aspects ONTENTS that hopes to propel once hormone therapy Perhaps that’s because negative comments, both in the of prostate cancer. My GP thinks my prostate cancer stops working well last magazine and on Facebook, PSA level should be about five C it’s only now we’re seeing treatment into the major progress regarding the lack of progress made because I am 78 years old, even the modern era Marching for men we’ve helped fund in in certain areas of treatment – instead though he knows I underwent a radical where you live understanding and of welcoming the good progress in prostatectomy 12 years ago and so The trials and How one supporter treating prostate cancer. many other areas. it should be below 0.2 (it’s currently 18 organised a March undetectable). Many men have died rewards of a Take Dr Val Macaulay, I was diagnosed with prostate stubborn scientist for Men in Belfast, plus due to GP incompetence! CORRECTION who talks to us on p10 cancer after four years of monitoring 10 Dr Val Macaulay tells us our top tips for doing In the last issue, we about how our support my high PSA levels, fluctuating Ivan Arnold, via email how your donations over your own mistakenly said John over 16 years has helped between about 10.8 and 15, and then more than a decade Brown raised more her turn a microscopic a second biopsy last year revealed have helped turn her lab Running a marathon than £6,000 at his observation in the lab into traces of cancer. The treatment I have research into a clinical in every country in retirement party, when it a potential clinical trial of a received since has been first class. trial of a new treatment the world new drug today. was actually from a talk 19 Plus Top Dad and thanks My prostate was removed last February he arranged by former and I am making good progress. The black golfers to our fundraisers And it’s only thanks to this Dear Insights Monte Carlo Rally I recently had my prostate removed saving men’s lives gathering momentum of Detection techniques need to be winner Paddy Hopkirk at Royal United Hospitals Bath and We talk to the Get involved prostate cancer research evaluated before they become at an Isle of Man hotel. have never looked back, thanks to our 12 taboo-busting Upcoming events for we’ve helped to create that readily available to everyone. Our apologies to John. wonderful NHS and unbelievable help African Caribbean spring and summer, we’re now able to launch But until the magic bullet is found, from Prostate Cancer UK. Golf Association 20 and five ways you can our biggest ever research current techniques seem to work SIGN UP TO OUR programme to mainstream help us raise money in the majority of cases. Prostate So it’s now payback time and so MONTHLY EMAIL: precision medicine (see p6). Prostate Cancer UK Cancer UK is doing a great job far I’m one-third towards my target Get all the latest update Our support But the biggest thanks and deserves credit for the to cycle 5,000km and raise £5,000 prostate cancer news, All the latest from us and services must go to you for all advances made. by the end of my 70th year in 2018. views and events from 13 How we can help you The climax will be reaching the us direct to your inbox – your generous donations 22 Let’s be a bit more positive. just enter your details at that help make this work finishing line of the Grand Depart possible. Please tell Jeff Palmer, via email Classic – 195km cycling in one day, prostatecanceruk.org/ others what we’re doing together with 80+ other cyclists, in insights so everyone knows we’re an attempt to raise £180,000+ for as committed to scientific Prostate Cancer UK. GET IN TOUCH! research as we are to You can contact us via Gordon Friend, via email raising awareness. social media or email on the addresses below, p12 or write to us at: Insights magazine Prostate Cancer UK Fourth Floor, The Counting House Editorial team 53 Tooley Street Dr Sophie Lutter London SE1 2QN Gary Haines Philippa Bell p10 p18 Sarita Lowton Like us on Facebook: Follow us on Twitter: Email the Insights team: Dominic Bates (Editor) Prostate Cancer UK @ProstateUK [email protected] 2 Insights | Winter/Spring 2018 Insights | Winter/Spring 2018 3 National Prostate Cancer Audit reveals fewer men being PROSTATE CANCER NEWS undertreated but many still diagnosed too late A recent report by outcome of their treatment. looks to be patchy across care that uses mpMRI Discovery of ‘metastatic signature’ raises hopes of early the Royal College of It shows fewer men with England and Wales. scans to reduce average Surgeons shows more advanced prostate cancer prostate cancer diagnosis identification of lethal prostate cancer men are getting an were undertreated in Welsh Health Boards time to just eight days and appropriate level of 2015/16 compared to the are lagging behind the referral-to-treatment time Deciding whether to Researchers at the Belfast- A cluster of 70 genes a patient. It means they treatment when it comes year before, and fewer NHS in England when it to 20 days. treat localised prostate Manchester Movember expressed in metastatic risk not treating a cancer to prostate cancer. But men with low-risk disease comes to ensuring this cancer or not is one Centre of Excellence – tumours were also found that later progresses and issues with late diagnosis were treated unnecessarily ground-breaking technique Funded by the National of the biggest dilemmas funded by the Movember in some prostate cancer could be fatal, or treating persist and the use of – which is probably due to becomes a routine part of Cancer Transformation for men and their Foundation – have samples. The researchers a cancer that would never more advanced multi- more men being offered the diagnostic pathway. Programme, the new doctors. Now new discovered a ‘metastatic then cross-referenced cause any harm and risk parametric MRI (mpMRI) active surveillance. But since the audit data process sees patients research could help signature’ in the genetic this genetic code against potentially serious and scans for diagnosis is was collected, areas like receiving an mpMRI scan identify which cancers code of some prostate a huge, publicly-available life-altering side effects. still not standard practice. But worryingly, the Newport and Cwm Taf and report, a clinical review are likely to spread and cancer cells, which could collection of prostate audit also shows large have made great strides and – if necessary – a which are harmless. identify aggressive tumours. biopsies and found it It’s hoped that testing The National Prostate numbers of men still being towards implementing targeted biopsy all on the correctly predicted which for these ‘metastatic Cancer Audit is a ‘state diagnosed at an advanced mpMRI in their hospitals. same day. prostate cancers would signature’ genes could of the nation’ report on stage of the disease, when go on to spread beyond help doctors identify which prostate cancer care in they have less chance of NHS England has also the prostate. men wouldn’t be safe on England and Wales, based survival. And the use of recently announced active surveillance, as well on data collected from the mpMRI scans before a first funding for a pilot project Currently, doctors can’t as men who are at risk of point men are diagnosed biopsy, which can improve at three NHS Trusts, be 100 per cent certain cancer recurrence after right through to the the accuracy of diagnosis, testing a new model of about whether a prostate prostate surgery and so cancer requires treatment should be offered more or not when diagnosing radical treatment. Creating the UK’s first FROM THE LAB screening programme A year ago, we awarded a grant to a consortium most basic, but the easiest to perform well during a BEHIND THE HEADLINES: Is a new type of radiotherapy a of researchers across the UK, Netherlands, the standard GP appointment. The other two included US and Canada to develop a prostate cancer risk more detailed tests that may give a more accurate risk miracle cure for men with advanced prostate cancer? prediction tool.