Prostate cancer survivor knows the value of a PSA test

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on August 26, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

Mike Budd knows from personal experience the value of a PSA test.
A volunteer at the Man Van which stopped in Lethbridge on Friday before heading to Cornfest in Taber today, Budd has been cancer-free for two years after being diagnosed with the disease.
While a large group of men assembled outside the van in front of London Drugs on Friday, Budd said he went from riding his bicycle 26 kilometres a day to losing weight with no explanation.
His doctor ordered the test and after cancer was discovered, Budd underwent surgery on his prostate.
Budd reiterated that one in six Alberta men will develop prostate cancer in their lives and one problem is “men don’t talk about it.”
When Budd got diagnosed “I thought it was because of my diet and my physical fitness. Before I was diagnosed I was biking 26 kilometres a day. And I thought it was everything like that that I was losing weight. Then I saw my doctor and I was explaining to him how much weight I’ve lost and different things and he said ‘congratulations, you’ve won a PSA test. Five months later I’m on an operating table,” said Budd.
“It’s amazing how it can work.”
The cancer survivor said a guy can’t really tell if he has the disease.
“It’s one thing we don’t talk about as men,” added Budd.
He said every time the Man Van shows up at a place, staff are impressed with the turnout.
“More and more men are starting to understand the importance of getting it (the prostate) checked. That’s the bottom line, getting checked.”
The Man Van staff check men aged 40 to 80. The mobile testing service is affiliated with the Prostate Cancer Centre located on the sixth floor of the Rockyview Hospital in Canada.
The Man Van originally began operating in 2009 in the Calgary area and expanded its services to other areas in southern Alberta in 2012.
While other health assessments were being done early on Friday, the decision was made quickly as the lineup grew to just do PSA tests.
Guys who got the test will be notified of their results within 72 hours.
Men aren’t tested if they are under the care of a urologist, which is sort of an unwritten rule, said Budd.
“Urologists have their thing, we do our thing,” he said.
Men under the age of 40 aren’t tested because no evidence exists in the medical community supporting PSA testing for men under that age. Men over 80 won’t be tested because that could lead to unnecessary and invasive procedures.

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