180: Alan Morton, Prostate Cancer Endurant - Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom

1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 180: Alan Morton, Prostate Cancer Endurant - Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom Alan Morton experienced symptoms associated with prostate cancer, but it was some time before he sought medical attention.&nbsp; Dating back to his teens, he had had a subpar urine flow, but in his sixties, he began to see blood in his urine.&nbsp; He thought it might be a urinary tract infection, but when nothing had changed six months later, he contacted his doctor.&nbsp; After various scans, a digital rectal exam and a biopsy, Alan was told he had Stage 3B prostate cancer.&nbsp; It was later determined the cancer had metastasized to his pelvic and was re-diagnosed as Stage 4 Incurable.&nbsp; He was placed on a hormone regimen including the injection of a drug called decapeptyl.&nbsp; Alan said the side effects were awful, including fatigue, loss of muscle mass, weight gain and a severe loss of testosterone.&nbsp; He suspects he will be on the hormone regimen for the rest of his life, but Alan Morton calls himself a prostate cancer endurant.&nbsp; He still engages in hiking, and despite the handicaps, seeks to live life to the fullest. &nbsp; It was in 2023 when Alan began to pass blood in his urine.&nbsp; He didn’t think this development was worth sharing with his wife or his doctor.&nbsp; However, his wife saw what she thought was dark urine when Alan went to the bathroom and forgot to flush.&nbsp; He told her he was passing blood and she immediately made a doctor’s appointment for him. &nbsp; Alan submitted to a digital rectal exam and provided a urine sample.&nbsp; Although he thought the sample was “crystal clear,” the doctor said the sample included “microscopic blood.”&nbsp; He was called in for another appointment, provided another blood sample.&nbsp; From that and a biopsy, he received a diagnosis of Stage 3B prostate cancer.&nbsp; &nbsp; Because of neck trauma stemming from a long ago auto accident, Alan could have his prostate removed.&nbsp; His care team concluded the only available treatment option would be a hormone regimen, starting with androgen deprivation therapy, or ADT.&nbsp; He said the effect it had on his body was awful.&nbsp; They included fatigue, severe loss of testosterone, hair loss, plus weight gain in various places, among them, his breasts.&nbsp; He was subsequently prescribed the injection of a drug, decapeptyl, and a pill called bucalutamide, designed to stop the growth of the tumor.&nbsp; The ADT regimen stopped in October 2024, but the following month he began to pass blood again.&nbsp; To make matters worse, his PSA, once at 0.037, rose sharply to 6.39 in April 2026.&nbsp; Alan underwent a bone scan that indicated his cancer had spread to his pelvis.&nbsp; He is back on ADT and expects he will be for the rest of his life. &nbsp; Alan says his urinary function is outstanding but would rate his sexual function at something like 20 to 30 percent of what it was pre-diagnosis. &nbsp; Alan Morton does not call himself a survivor of cancer, but rather an endurant.&nbsp; He knows given his diagnosis and his hormone regimen, he is at reduced capacity, but aspires to live a full, rich life. &nbsp; Additional Resources: &nbsp; Support Group: &nbsp; Fans for the Cure: https://www.fansforthecure.org &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Cancer Interviews http://cancerinterviews.com <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/41855895/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/41855895