A Stoke-on-Trent resident who has battled bladder cancer is calling on people with cancer symptoms to get checked as soon as possible.

Colin Knibbs

Colin Knibbs, aged 74, went to the GP quickly when he noticed he had blood in his urine in November 2015.

“I knew there was something wrong with me and my wife encouraged me to go,” says Colin. “If I had waited to seek help it probably would have been too late. The cancer would have probably spread to other organs and could well have killed me straight away. The treatment for chemotherapy and radiotherapy is more unpleasant than the treatment I went through. So, I would always say it’s vital that you go immediately if you have the symptoms, particularly if you see blood in your urine.”

Colin was fortunate that the cancer was spotted early as it was highly aggressive. He was able to benefit from 13 months of BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) – a type of immunotherapy drug which is given directly into the bladder (intravesical). This can make the bladder react in a way that irritates the immune system into fighting the cancer cells.

In September 2017 Colin was diagnosed with bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS) – a type of non-invasive bladder cancer that appears as a flat, red area in the bladder. CIS can grow quickly, and if it’s not treated effectively, there’s a high risk that CIS will develop into an invasive bladder cancer. Colin had an operation which involved the radical removal of bladder, prostate and nearby lymph nodes over Christmas 2017.

The operation went well, but six weeks later Colin had severe fatigue and it was found that scar tissue was blocking the left kidney. He was rushed in for emergency treatment and eventually after three operations he has recovered well and now just attends check-ups every year. “Royal Stoke University Hospital has been brilliant, and the treatment has been first class,” says Colin.

When the Covid-19 pandemic came Colin was advised to shield, but he had to have a CT scan in April at the hospital to confirm that the cancer had not reappeared. “I wasn’t too nervous about it and I have to say that the hospital had made it all fantastically safe for patients.,” says Colin.

“I had a 2pm appointment, and I was in at 1.55pm” Colin adds. “I went into the main waiting room and there was one other person there 10 yards away from me. Someone came out in a mask and called me through directly into the CT scan. There were two gentlemen there with full PPE protection. The whole thing was done extremely efficiently. I went out and was home by 2.40pm and it was totally and utterly safe. The CT results were given to me over the phone and were clear! So, safety was first class. I don’t think my treatment and my follow up treatments have been damaged by the Covid-19 pandemic in any way.” Colin says.

For patients who are concerned about receiving treatment in hospital because of the current pandemic, Colin has this reassuring message. “I would say that the experience that I have had was perfectly safe. In fact, it was safer than going to my local DIY store or the local supermarket. Health professionals have put so much effort into the hospitals and they know what they are doing to keep patients as much as they can away from Covid-19. I felt perfectly safe throughout and I didn’t catch it!”

“So, if you need to see your GP with suspected cancer symptoms, go straight away,” Colin urges. “I am living proof that CT scans and hospital treatments are safe during the current pandemic. So, don’t worry the procedure at the hospital was marvellous and everything is in place to keep patients safe. You have got much more to worry about from cancer than you have from Covid-19. Cancer will not wait for Covid-19 to go away.”

Dr Nigel Sturrock, Regional Medical Director at NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Midlands, said:

“As Colin’s experience shows, cancer is easier to treat when it’s caught at an earlier stage and so coming forward for a check could save your life.

“Alongside treating 110,000 people with coronavirus, NHS staff have gone to great lengths to make sure that people who do not have Covid-19 can safely access services. So whether you or a loved one has a routine appointment, or a potential cancer symptom, our message is clear – you are not a burden, we are here to safely care for you so please don’t delay – Help Us Help You and come forward as you usually would.”

If you think there’s something wrong and it might be cancer, please go to your GP. The NHS is here to help. http://nhs.uk/cancer