That plumbing' problem

To pee or not to pee, that is the question that Robert Brader wants Wairarapa men to be asking themselves this month.

The Masterton man was diagnosed with prostate cancer 12 years ago, undergoing seven weeks of radiation therapy, and now runs the Wairarapa prostate cancer support group.

Mr Brader said it's all "good as gold" for him now, though he still has regular checks and is sceptical when the doctors tell him he's cured.

He said his cancer was picked up early, because he had had the PSA - Prostate Specific Antigen - blood test already. He had been keeping an eye on it, and when he started having "waterworks problems" he got to the doctor.

He encourages all men over 40 to get the blood test or the rectal examination even if they don't have any symptoms.

"The problem with prostate cancer is a lot of people don't have any symptoms, and if they wait until they have a lot of symptoms it could be too far gone."

One in 10 men get prostate cancer, with 3000 new cases diagnosed in New Zealand each year and 560 prostate cancer-related deaths here.

Mr Brader said the number of deaths has come down in recent years, because more men are getting checked.

Although there is no national screening programme, like Breastscreen Aotearoa, both doctors and patients are more aware.

"If they don't get screened how the hell are they going to know? If you catch this thing early enough, you've got better chances."

Nobody knows what causes prostate cancer but risk factors include your age - over 40s are particularly at risk - family history and obesity.

There are a variety of treatment options available, which Mr Brader said it can be helpful to talk through with people who have had them. "You can get bamboozled by the science.

"It's bad enough finding out you've got cancer.

"But they can come to our group, where everyone's had all the different treatments, where they can make their own decision about which way they want to go."

Mr Brader's wife Susan said it can be scary finding out you or your partner have cancer but it's not like it used to be.

"That big C really frightens a lot of people [but] it's come a long way now. Now there's hope."

Wairarapa Prostate Cancer Foundation Support Group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 1.30pm, at Landsdowne Presbyterian Church in Masterton. Find out more about prostate cancer at www.prostate.org.nz.