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Russell's story

When you say the words prostate exam to a bloke two things appear in the mind. You see yourself bent over a desk in a doctors surgery, trousers around your ankles, with an intense feeling of embarrassment. The other is every 'Carry On' style double entendre you can think of, usually when talking to other men about the procedure.

So it was, with these things in mind, I turned up in the examination room of Dr David Geddes. There’s no history of prostate trouble in my family, so I wasn’t expecting any nasty surprises. Although I could see from Dougie's face he was slightly nervous about the results - he’ll tell you why himself.

Dr David calmly explained what he was about to do. He asked me to lie on my side, on the table, lower my trousers and underwear to just below my bum cheeks and relax. Without me noticing he’d put on a rubber glove and applied lubrication. In one gentle movement he pushed his finger up my bottom and explained to me what he was feeling for, a smooth prostate of usual size. He had to explain to me what he was doing because, honestly, I couldn’t feel a thing other than the coolness of the glove.

Within 10 seconds he had finished, threw his glove in the bin and told me I had a perfectly healthy prostate, as he had expected. All those jokes and horror stories I'd heard turned out to be rubbish. It was quick, painless, simple and an un-embarrassing thing to do. If you’re a bloke you have to have it done. 10 seconds of a cold glove could save your life!

Russell and Dougie in the waiting room!

Dougie's story

We all know prostate cancer can kill if not treated early enough, I should know as my father died of it a few years ago. In the back of your mind there is always that thought of, 'what if it happened to me?' After all, it can be hereditary, but what are the symptoms, and can it be treated effectively if detected? So, I had no problem in going along to have a prostate check up. After all, at 58 I'm at the age when it is likely to strike.Ìý

Russell and I went to the Clifton Medical Centre where Dr David Geddes was going to check us both out. For most people the thought of someone checking the prostate is embarrassing, forget that, it isn't. It is simply lying on the doctor's couch with your trousers pulled down. He puts on surgical gloves and inserts a finger into your rectum and moves it around until he feels the prostate gland. He is simply looking for any abnormality, it could be a swelling or other change of shape.

It takes less than five minutes and it doesn't hurt. So, gentlemen, if you are reading this and you are in any doubt... pick up the phone, call the surgery and have the check up. It could save your life!

The good news was everything is normal and I was very pleased to hear those words. Next step for me... regular checkups.

Now for the science bit...

• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK
• 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK
• One man dies of prostate cancer in the UK every hour
• In the UK, the equivalent of 100 men per day will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
• African Caribbean men are three times more likely to develop prostate cancer than white men
• In England and Wales, men have a 1 in 11 lifetime risk of getting prostate cancer
• 70% of adults in the UK do not know what the prostate does
• Over 85% of prostate cancer cases are diagnosed in men over 60
• You are 2.5 times more likely to develop prostate cancer if your father or brother has had it
• If your diet is rich in fat, dairy products and red meat, it can increase your risk of developing prostate cancer

The following may be signs of prostate cancer:

• A weak urine flow
• Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
• A feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly
• Difficulty starting to pass urine
• Dribbling urine
• Needing to rush to the toilet, so that you may even
• leak urine sometimes

Other symptoms of prostate cancer may include:

• New pain in the lower back, hips or pelvis
• Problems getting or keeping an erection
• Blood in the urine or semen – but this is very rare