Carole Silver has issued a heartfelt warning after her husband Mark’s tragic death from prostate cancer, a disease she believes could have been “easily prevented” with a national screening programme. Mark, who lived a healthy and active life, first experienced blood after using the toilet in 2010. At first, he and Carole believed it was piles, a common condition involving swollen blood vessels around the anus. After visiting their local GP, he was prescribed haemorrhoid cream and given a blood test to check his PSA levels.
The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test is used to screen for prostate cancer by measuring a protein produced by the prostate gland. Mark’s levels were alarmingly high at 27 when they should have been around three or four for his age. Despite undergoing biopsy, MRI, hormone therapy, and radiotherapy, by 2019 Mark’s cancer had spread to his bones, hips, and eye sockets. Sadly, he passed away one week before their 48th wedding anniversary.
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Carole expressed frustration that the disease dominated Mark’s final decade and believes that a screening programme could have led to earlier detection and treatment. While she is grateful their two sons are now aware of the condition and can be tested, Cancer Research UK confirms there is no national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK or the US.
Early prostate cancer rarely shows symptoms, but signs can include urinary changes, blood in the urine, erectile dysfunction, unexplained weight loss, or bone pain in advanced cases. The prognosis is much better for cancers detected early (local or regional stages), while distant-stage prostate cancer has a significantly lower five-year survival rate.
