Cumberland councilor urges men to get tested for prostate cancer

brian wernham

A man who first realized he may have prostate cancer after purchasing an online test has urged others to be proactive about their health risks.

Cumberland councilor Brian Warnham, who is in the middle of a three-year treatment course, urged the man to get tested for the disease.

He said he believes he is only alive today because he took matters into his own hands.

Prostate Cancer UK said men over 50 in the UK are entitled to blood tests to help detect the disease, but outdated guidelines prevent GPs from starting these conversations. The Ministry of Health has been contacted for comment.

Mr Warnum said he went to his GP about two years ago complaining of fatigue and was prescribed antidepressants.

“You think, 'I'm 60 now, maybe I'm just getting older,'” he says.

After speaking online to a U.S. urologist about an unrelated issue, Mr Warnham was advised to undergo a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. This test can identify high concentrations of proteins and indicate possible prostate cancer.

However, PSA levels can be high for various reasons, such as prostate enlargement, or remain normal despite cancer.

“I wouldn’t be here.”

Warnham said her doctor asked about testing and put her on a waiting list for a non-urgent test.

“After I put my phone down, I went to Amazon and just typed in PSA test,” he said.

A £7.90 finger stick test suggested Mr Warnham may have prostate cancer.

The councilor was then able to persuade his GP to send him to a cancer referral ward, where he was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer.

“If I hadn't been tested, I wouldn't be here,” he said.

Prostate Cancer UK said current NHS guidelines mean “everyone has a responsibility to know their risk and get themselves tested for PSA”.

The charity does not recommend home test kits without professional follow-up and urges men to speak to their GP.

Stella Maris

Paul Atkinson, from Blyth, Northumberland, also has prostate cancer, but in his case it is too late for a cure.

On his birthday in 2022, he was told that although he was responding well to treatment, the cancer had spread and he had two to five years to live.

“I was waking up more and more to go to the bathroom, but I didn't realize that was one of the symptoms,” he said.

“My generation and my father's generation didn't talk about that much.

“I encourage all men, especially those over 50, to get tested.”

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