P-05-849 All men in Wales should have access through the NHS to the best possible diagnostic tests for prostate cancer, Correspondence – Prostate Cancer Wales to Committee, 23.11.19

Dear Ms Janet Finch- Saunders AM.

I write regarding the petition for the implementation of mpMRI screening before biopsies. Firstly I would inform you that I am also a Prostate cancer patient which is of the aggressive type and has metastasised  and have actually undergone the Truss biopsy. The biopsy is a very invasive and painful but nevertheless essential procedure.  I also have concerns around infection and cancer spread with biopsies. I had ten biopsies taken and all proved positive. The biopsies are essential in the staging and determining the aggressiveness of the cancer. We as a charity would welcome the roll out of mpMRI prostate cancer screening prior to biopsies in Wales. Before it is fully implemented it is essential that we have the capacity to do so and that radiologists are competent and trained in the diagnosis. We should learn the lessons from the Bowel cancer screening programme whereby we didn’t have the capacity or the Endoscopists to implement  properly. GP awareness is imperative and to add lower back pain as a symptom as was in my case. Hopefully one day a tool for earlier mass screening will be discovered .

Yours Nick Phillips.

Prostate cancer Wales  subsidiary off Cancer Research & Genetics UK.