Prostate cancer: What farmers should know
Following Jeremy Clarkson’s recent disclosure of his prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment, there is renewed public attention on the disease and the importance of recognising symptoms and seeking medical advice early.
The news has not escaped the farming community, with some farming groups taking the opportunity to remind farmers to keep an eye on their health, even if they’re working long hours.
Agriland talked to Dr. Richard Moore, consultant radiation oncologist working in the Mater Private, about one of the most common forms of cancer in Ireland, the impact of Clarkson revealing his diagnosis, and more.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Irish men, with approximately 4,000 diagnoses each year in Ireland and a lifetime risk of one in six.
And farming is still a male-dominated industry, with the Central Statistics Office (CSO) Farm Structure Survey finding that 86% of farmers are men.
Dr. Moore said: “There are a lot of men farming out there, so it's a very important topic to be talking to farmers about. And it's a common cancer.”
While prostate cancer is common, mortality rates are not as high as you might think, especially if detected on time.
According to Dr. Moore, prostate cancer is not a cancer that tends to shorten people's lives.
He explained: “So there's large studies. There's the UK PROTECT trial, which has examined the outcomes of patients over a 15-year period now. In that trial, there was about 1,200 men. They were randomised.
"The interesting findings from that were that about 96% of men were actually alive that did not die of prostate cancer.
"So I think that just speaks to the nature of prostate cancer in general.”
Farmers
Getting tested for prostate cancer is as simple as a blood test, but Dr. Moore said that there are “a number of factors” that get in the way of medical appointments.
He said: “I have a lot of patients who are farmers, so I hear from them and I understand the number of factors.
"Distance is often something that we talk about and end up trying to navigate and manage, you know, the distance the farmers will live.
“They're away from large centres where radiation machines are, for example, or surgeons, or big surgical theatres.”
Dr. Moore also cited the long hours and myriad responsibilities of farmers.
“Farming is demanding if you're looking after livestock in particular, you know, the having animals in over the winter and then preparing and tillage and hay silage-making," he said.
“There is lambing, calving and managing the livestock in-house and then, you know, the summertime is full of silage and preparation for the winter.
“So I do come across it actually more often than not, managing and dealing with those kind of time schedules and trying to help patients fit treatment into those kind of lifestyles.”
Clarkson and public figures
Public figures can help break the taboo of talking about illnesses, and Clarkson’s disclosure of a prostate cancer diagnosis is just the latest example.
“Yeah, there's been a number of people in the media over the last year or two that I can think of,” Dr. Moore said.
“But Jeremy Clarkson, I suppose, you know, as a farmer, as a really prominent, quite outspoken figure and media personality like that comes clean with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, I suppose it really brings it onto a lot of people's agendas.
“People have been thinking about things or worried about symptoms they might have or are considering a health check.”
Dr. Moore added that “hopefully” announcements like Clarkson’s get people talking about thinking about their health and monitoring that they should do.
“Public figures will generate that discussion, have people talking about and thinking about themselves," he said.
"And then often they'll go to see their GP or their GP will perform a blood test.”
Treatment and survival
Many men with early prostate cancer have no symptoms at all.However, Dr. Moore described the blood test as “an incredibly effective tool” so “there is an advantage doing a blood test just to check”.
He added that the well-recognised treatments “would be surgery or radiation treatment”.
“And again, that UK PROTECT trial tells us that actually from a cancer point of view, the likelihood of getting rid of the cancer is the same if you choose surgery or radiation treatment.
“I'd reassure people that there are very effective treatments out there to get rid of the problem," the consultant said.
Farmers in the Republic of Ireland can contact the Irish Cancer Society Cancer Nurse through the Freephone Support Line on 1800 200 700.
In Northern Ireland, the Rural Community Cancer Project can be contacted via 07480469601.
