Surgery after regular PSA testing
At the age of 66, Blue Jays announcer Jerry Howarth was proactive about being screened for prostate cancer. He had been regularly undergoing prostate cancer testing for the past 16 years, to ensure his PSA levels were normal. But this year, after taking a test, he was shocked to learn his PSA levels had jumped to 6.0. Most labs consider a normal PSA level to be around 4 ng/mL.
Jerry was soon referred to a urologist for further assessments and continued with his own self-monitoring for another year. But a year later, he learned that his results had worsened.
After going a full year with a 6.0 reading, I went to have my PSA test done again and learned that my levels had now jumped to a 7.5, which was concerning,” says Jerry. “Once that number had risen to 8.5, I underwent an MRI and a biopsy to determine what was happening with my prostate gland, and why the numbers were rising.
After the biopsy, his urologist called to give him the results. Jerry’s worst fear then came true - there was a growing tumour in his prostate gland. One week later, he made the decision to have surgery to have his prostate gland removed. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and Jerry’s PSA levels dropped significantly.
“Once I had woken up from the operation, the surgeon told me that my prostate cancer was at stage 1,” says Jerry. “I was so relieved to hear that.”
Jerry acknowledges that his treatments would not have been as successful without his early PSA testing. He hopes others like him are aware of their importance.
Raising awareness for other men
Jerry’s PSA levels continued to remain at 0.1 following his surgery. With this cancer experience behind him, he is now focused on living life to the fullest and enjoying every moment he has. He is also more committed to raising awareness about the importance of prostate cancer screening, especially for men at a higher risk.
“PSA testing is a must. Men at high risk for prostate cancer should begin testing as early as 45, in order to establish early detection to begin assessing and treating prostate cancer,” says Jerry. “I was very blessed to have received my PSA test results, which revealed the need to address my cancer and undergo surgery.”
Advancements in prostate cancer research that that lead to Jerry being able to receive treatment would not be possible without people who donate to the Canadian Cancer Society. He continues to be grateful to the many donors who are helping fund life-saving research.
There are so many ways that cancer can be beaten, but it requires funding to hire the necessary people involved and discover what works best when it comes to prostate cancer and other cancer types,” he says. “To all of the CCS donors across Canada who help fund life-saving research, thank you for continuing to help make stories like mine possible. Support like yours is what allowed me to survive and continue my career in radio calling for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Prostate cancer is one of the least preventable cancers. That is why knowing prostate cancer signs and symptoms and treating it early are so important. A tremendous amount of progress has been made against prostate cancer, but prostate cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third-leading cause of cancer death among men in Canada. Donate to fund life-saving prostate cancer research and compassionate support programs.