Ken - Interview 17

Age at interview: 78

Age at diagnosis: 71

Brief Outline: Ken was diagnosed with prostate cancer five years ago, and was told that it was terminal. He still receives hormone injections every three months for treatment. He feels that cancer hasn't affected him greatly in the long-term.

Background: Ken is a retired tractor repairman. He is widowed. Ethnic Background: White British.

More about me...

Ken was diagnosed with prostate cancer about 5 years ago. He was told that his cancer was terminal, so he is not living beyond cancer, he is living with cancer. However, it doesn’t really affect him nowadays. He thinks that having had a few hard knocks in life has taught him how to cope with things, because if you don’t you can go under with them. He has taken things in his stride, including his cancer diagnosis. 

 

He was first diagnosed when he was being tested for his heart, but didn’t have any symptoms at the time. He has had treatment since in the form of injections every four months. He used to feel very tired for three or four days after his injections, but he doesn’t experience this anymore. His main long-term effect is urgency when he needs to urinate, which he says can be a bit awkward. 

 

Ken is confident in his doctor’s treatment, and has faith in his local GP. He says that his wife helped him through his cancer experience. 

 

Ken has a hormone injection every four months as treatment for his advanced prostate cancer; his...

So how often do you have to go for your injections?

 

Four a year. Once every four months. Now they’ve altered the type of injection you get. It used to be a long needle and a push but now it’s just all you hear is a click and it’s done. I don’t know what that is. I can’t see. So. 

 

And after you have that injection do you have any side effects in the days afterwards or anything?

 

Well, it used to knock me out for a little bit, when I first started, for three to four days, but that’s worn off now. I just worry about my body becoming immune to it. That’s the effect, but if there was a concern it’s that, and it’s also a concern about the tablets that I’m taking. I’m concerned, that doesn’t bother me, but I’ve got it in the back of my mind that when my body gets used to that it’s time to get something done, but the way I am I’m okay.

 

So you mentioned that you know your PSA levels. Does your doctor take the PSA test?

 

Yeah, I have a blood test a week before I go for my injection, and it measures my PSA on that. 

 

And then he tells you what the result is.

 

Then he tells me what it is, yeah, whether we’re going up or going down or whether it’s holding fast, and, yeah, keeps me informed.

 

And do you, how do you feel when you find out what the level is? Does it…?

 

Well, I get a bit concerned, naturally but I know he’s going to do everything he can and he will do everything he can. So that’s, I’m just confident, confident in him.