To mark Movember, Dean Nulty, IT service delivery manager at Zurich, (pictured) tells Health & Protection about being diagnosed with prostate cancer on his birthday, why men should not take their health for granted and the importance of having a supportive employer.
My father died in 2005, as a result of a late diagnosis of prostate cancer. By the time he got the right diagnosis, the cancer had spread to his spine and other organs. He was 63 years old when he died and never got the chance to enjoy his retirement.
In 2014 my brother was researching screening and early diagnosis options and signed up to a genetic profile study research trial being run from the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea.
After his first trips to London, he encouraged me the join the same trial. Although initially reluctant due to the time commitment, I eventually decided to join.
It’s worth noting at this point I had no concerns or symptoms myself, so I thought I was doing something selfless, which may help other sufferers in the future.
When going through the trial process of surveys, questionnaires and examinations it dawned on me that I did have one mild symptom – a tendency to get up to the bathroom two or three times a night. At this point I had dismissed this as just something that happens as you get older.
The trial process included an MRI scan in early 2015. The result showed I had a slightly enlarged prostate, which would explain the bathroom visits in the night. I was prescribed a drug to help with the night-time loo visits.
At the very end of the trial process February 2016, I was offered the opportunity to have a prostate biopsy. This is not a comfortable procedure, so was offered the option to decline. However, I decided to go ahead, as it was the last stage and my final chance to help the research.
In early March 2016, I was asked to attend a meeting in London to get my biopsy result. As my birthday was fast approaching, my wife and I decided to make a day of it. With an early appointment at the Marsden, we planned to go on from there and do a bit of sightseeing, and a nice meal.
So, on the morning of my 47th birthday, I was told that I had prostate cancer. Maybe I had some suspicions at the back of my mind, but for some reason the diagnosis didn’t come as too much of a surprise.
Active surveillance
The great thing for me was that it had been found early. Perhaps up to a decade sooner than normal, by taking part in the profile study.
As the cancer was not aggressive and low level, I spent the next five years on “active surveillance”. This meant a combination of regular prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests and annual MRI scans, but with no surgical intervention.
In early 2021, one of these MRI scans showed a slight change in the shape and size of my prostate. A further biopsy confirmed the cancer had started to spread and was more aggressive.
After a mountain of information and a number of discussions with the consultants, I decided to choose the full Robot Assisted Radical Prostatectomy. This is done using a Da Vinci robot – an amazing, impressive and huge piece of high-tech equipment.
In mid-October 2021 I had the operation to completely remove my prostate. As a consequence of being involved in the trial, I was lucky enough to be operated on by one of the best in the country a surgeon called Declan Cahill, who is the head of urology and a consultant surgeon for the Royal Marsden Hospital.
My initial recovery was uncomfortable. Despite being operated on via keyhole surgery, I had five small and one large hole in my stomach. I only spent one night in hospital, and was discharged the following afternoon.
But despite the keyhole and robotic approach, the surgery is quite impactful, and it is recommended you take a minimum of six weeks recovery time. I thought I’d bounce straight back, and that six weeks was way too long – I was wrong.
Employer support and life consequences
Throughout this period I received exceptional support from my employer including from my line and senior manager.
I was given the time off I needed for treatment and recovery and access to additional advice and support if I needed it.
There was no pressure for me to return to work, with genuine concern shown for my welfare. I had regular keep in touch calls and agreed on my return date a couple of weeks in advance.
There are both short term and longer-term consequences of this surgery. I’m pretty much back to normal now, but occasionally something will remind me.
For example, when lifting something heavy in the garden, I can feel a tightness where the stomach muscles have been affected.
‘Don’t ignore symptoms’
My message is don’t take your health for granted. If you have the opportunity to get tested, take it.
Don’t ignore symptoms. Although prostate cancer is seen as an old man’s disease, some of us will get it in our 30s and 40s.
While my brother went through the same profile study and got the all-clear, a few weeks ago, I received the final results from the Genetic Profile Study.
The letter told me that I had a genetic risk of getting prostate cancer 1.4 times higher than the general population and advised me to keep an eye out for symptoms.
Prostate cancer symptoms
According to the NHS, symptoms of prostate cancer can include:
- Needing to pee more frequently, often during the night
- Needing to rush to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee (hesitancy)
- Straining or taking a long time while peeing
- Weak flow
- Feeling that your bladder has not emptied fully
- Blood in urine or blood in semen.