During a prolonged bout of radio therapy treatment for cancer of the nether regions I found the most uplifting part of the daily visit was the poo chart.
You had to gauge your inspection of that morning’s motion(s) against ten diagrams of poo character,size and viscosity.
The morning cancer club were always interested in each others’ scores.
Great camaraderie and humour from both staff and other patients helped enormously.
N
Just posted mine, have to say the current version is far simpler than the old requiring three samples.
We do that every 2 years over 60 in France, not very pleasant but a worthy excercise!
I am normally tested every year as part of the ongoing colitis checkups, with colonoscopy every few years. The regular testing programme is quite wonderful, and just so easy, other than catching the poo in rolled up loo paper. It’s so important to focus on early detection and hopefully because it’s so straightforward more people will take part. It’s good to hear it happens in France too. I imagine it’s a lot more widespread these days.
Thats good to hear. I think its annual here too if diagnosed or family history or increased risk.
The ColoRectal Surgeon’s song
It is also very important to get your PSA numbers checked on an annual basis.Prostate cancer is a far greater danger for elderly gentlemen,especially those of colour.
Mine resided at 8 for years and was considered stable but suddenly it shot up into the high 50s and the cancer was nibbling away at other organs.
Fortunately it had not reached my bones.
That’s when it all becomes unpleasant.Before it is not even an inconvenience.
The cancer is in remission but monitored very closely.
Get your PSA checked.
N
Do you need to put hazardous waste stickers on the parcel? 
Unfortunately the PSA tests are not the ‘silver bullet’ many believe them to be. They fail to detect 15% of prostate cancer cases, and 75% of men with raised antigen levels do not have cancer. Biopsies carried out as a result of these ‘false positives’ can have horrible complications. My GP looks carefully at histories, risk factors and physical symptoms before deciding on PSA and/or digital examination. Even then he readily admits it’s all an imprecise science, with risks attached to further exploration.
That was was my doctors advice….It’s a difficult one.
And that’s why, apparently, we don’t have a national screening process - there’s just insufficient accuracy to all the testing.
Get your PSA tested. Talk to your GP or consultant about the results and what you can do with them. Ignoring the results is NOT an option.
I understand your thoughts and I have read much on the Prostate Cancer Uk website.
I can only tell you that without a continuingPSA test regime mine would not have been found before it was too late.
A rapidly elevating PSA indicator must show that there is a problem.
Sure you can decide not to be on the receiving end of Allison’s magic finger:point_up: And I could have declined two uncomfortable rectal biopsys 
but I would be dead now.
I let the consultant guide me and took his advise.
N
Unless you have symptoms there is a substantial risk that a PSA test can result in harm. It isn’t a simple matter. Advocating indiscriminate use of a sub-optimal test is unwise.
I’d suggest advice and guidance from a professional is preferable to well meaning internet keyboard ‘experts’…
Is a PSA test not carried out on a blood sample? I am aware it is not 100% reliable but is it actually risky?
It’s the consequences of a false positive which is the problem - and in low risk patients the likelihood of a positive being false is relatively high. As has already been posted, this is why there isn’t a national screening program using PSA.
As an investigation in symptomatic patients though it’s a valuable tool - as it is in disease monitoring.
Thanks for the explanation. I had not seen it mentioned in this thread. I understand that a sub-optimal test is not appropriate for screening nationally. I never cease to be amazed that any health issues are discussed on Internet forums by unqualified individuals.
There is no risk from a psa test more than taking a blood sample. It is an indicator and the result must be discussed with a consultant. Any recommended further action can then be questioned, interpreted and suitable action, or none, taken. Ignoring the potential outcome of not having the test if you are over 50 is foolish. Your life , you decide. If nothing else it will give you a baseline to measure any future changes against.
Happy to be a keyboard warrior on this.
Your opinion is contrary to the considered recommendation in the UK.
I’d rather take the advice of professionals.
Anti-vaxxers are also fervent and sincere. Doesn’t make them right…
But this is a problem with this disease.
It was eating away at my body but I had no symptoms ,no discomfort.
No lumps,bumps or red rashes. I was not even a frequent nocturnal toilet visitor.
The only indicator was a rapidly elevating PSA indicator.
From my perspective it has to be tested annually and then you and your gp can go from there.
N