A cancer diagnosis is never easy. When Steve Pillipow was diagnosed with prostate cancer 21 years ago, he didn’t know what to do.
“When I first heard the word ‘cancer,’ it was just devastating. I really didn’t think well. I didn’t think out things at the time,” he explained.
“I was told to do some things and I just simply did them without regard for if that was the right way to go or not.”
Regina’s Pasqua Hospital opened its Prostate Assessment Centre in 2009, and new changes are aimed at removing unknowns for patients seeking a diagnosis or treatment and standardizing the process.
One of the biggest additions is nurse navigator Mikki Robicheau. Her job is to guide men through the healthcare system and go over all their treatment options.
“I’m able to be able to sit down with patients, and on their time and with their questions. I’m able to thoroughly answer any of their questions,” she explained.
“It’s continuity of care, to make sure every patient is receiving the same information.”
Patients are now expected to be contacted by Robicheau within a week of receiving the results of a biopsy. A biopsy is an examination of body tissue to discover the presence or cause of a disease.
The road to a diagnosis is expected to be quicker through new standards at the centre.
“The family doctor can directly refer a patient for a biopsy instead of coming to a specialist first. That will save a lot of time,” Dr. Edward Tse, a urologist, said.
Time is a factor when dealing with prostate cancer. When the disease is caught early, there are more treatment options and a greater success rate.
It’s recommended that men over 40 undergo an annual prostate checkup, but not all men do.
Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said he let his checkups slip, but that changed in 2014 when he was with prostate cancer, and recovery wasn’t certain.
“Mine was so far advanced that wasn’t a foregone conclusion, but because I’m lucky doesn’t mean everybody will be. So it’s much better to be tested regularly,” Stewart said.
Stewart added the changes announced today will result in a better outcome for many prostate cancer patients.
The minister won’t be considered cancer free for five years, but his semi-annual checkups have been yielding good results.
Pillipow said he understands that lots of men don’t want to admit something may be wrong with them. He urges them to get checked regularly.
‘They don’t research or look for help very quickly. Generally you’ll find its their partner getting them to the right place at the right time,” he said.
“That is a phenomenon that men have to get over.”
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