'My constant peeing turned out to be a symptom of prostate cancer'
A dad is urging other men to go for prostate cancer screenings after discovering his constant need to pee was a sign of the disease.
Andy Keen, 60, from Hertfordshire, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at the age of 57, after finding he needed to urinate more frequently and more urgently, but not being able to go.
He initially put off visiting the doctor, thinking his symptoms must be down to his age.
But the dad-of-two, who runs a software company, now wishes he had gone to the doctor sooner, as screening would likely have meant a different diagnosis, prognosis and a much less toxic treatment path.
"Before my diagnosis, life was ticking along nicely,” Keen recalls. "My business was doing well, we had a very active social life and we holidays planned.
"Life was busy and good."
When he started needing to pee more often Keen says he put it down to ageing and his body changing.
"I didn’t think much of it and put up with the inconvenience of having to find a toilet if I was out."
When he eventually mentioned his symptoms to his wife, she urged him to get checked out at the GP, suspecting he may have a UTI.
"At no stage did I think it was anything more sinister," he adds.
But after visiting the GP, Keen started to feel worried as he was sent for further tests.
"My GP did the urine dip test and said it was clear," he explains. "That was the first time I remember a bit of concern creeping in.
"My GP did an examination and her manner changed and although prostate cancer wasn’t mentioned I feared the worst."
Keen was told he would be seen by a consultant in two weeks and sent for an MRI.
"Due to an admin mix-up at the hospital I received a telephone appointment letter but in fact they had wanted to see me face to face," he explains.
"I managed to call the urology consultant and he told me that I had prostate cancer," Keen says of his diagnosis.
"I could tell from the consultant that it was serious.
"I was alone in the house at the time and my world caved in. I couldn’t think straight – it was just sheer panic."
Following a biopsy Keen was told that 28 of his 29 samples were cancerous and that his prognosis was not good.
"I was with my wife and we were taken into another room by a cancer nurse and I was told to ‘make memories’," he says.
"Life was very different at that point."
Since his diagnosis, Keen has undergone a series of gruelling treatments for the cancer.
"It has been pretty brutal," he says. "I was hospitalised shortly after diagnosis as my kidneys weren’t draining and I had to have a catheter.
"I was put on hormone therapy at that point and then started chemotherapy.
"Chemo was tough – I had six rounds every three weeks," Keen says of the treatment. "It had multiple side effects none of which were pleasant."
"My hair fell out, including my facial hair, and I went from feeling and looking fairly healthy to feeling and looking pretty terrible."
After a month to recover from chemo, Keen started radiotherapy, which consisted of 23 sessions of daily HDR radiotherapy.
"The first two weeks were okay but then the pain and side effects started to increase," Keen says.
"By the end of radiotherapy I was having big issues with peeing and had to go to A&E on more than one occasion as I was in retention and in severe pain."
A week after radiotherapy Keen had brachytherapy, which he describes as being "the worst part of all my treatment".
"I had to have a catheter for a few weeks and life was very much on hold," he adds.
Keen says he's telling his story in the hope of helping to raise awareness about prostate cancer and encourage other men to get tested.
"It’s vital people understand what the prostate is and where it is," he explains. "There needs to be an understanding that issues with your waterworks should not just be put down to getting older.
"All men should be aware that prostate cancer needs to be caught early as this gives more treatment options, many of which are curative."
Despite his gruelling treatment journey, Keen tries to see the positives, and says his condition has helped him to appreciate the every day.
"I see life through a different lens and appreciate everything that life has to offer so much more," he explains.
"My friendships have grown a lot stronger and I have met so many amazing people and achieved so many things since my diagnosis.
"I am almost back to normal but it’s a new normal," he adds. "I am still on hormone therapy but I am able to manage the side effects of this and the other treatments.
"My PSA is tested every three months so that can be a rollercoaster as I am at high risk of my cancer recurring."
Keen says he also finds keeping active helps his health, both physically and mentally.
"I cycle a lot with a bunch of guys called the Prostate Pedallers and play walking football," he explains.
In June 2023 Keen started a cancer support group in his local town, which has over 30 members.
"Talking to people early on in my diagnosis really helped me come to terms with and process my condition so it’s great to be able to help people in the same way," he explains.
"Like with many cancers, an important aspect of prostate cancer is awareness.
"This together with a screening programme will go a long way in helping men with prostate cancer live longer."
Additional reporting Cover Images.
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