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Sam: My Cancer Scare

Posted on: Thursday, 23 June 2005, 12:00 CDT

Sam Hammam has undergone tests for prostate cancer.

The Cardiff City boss had a biopsy at a London hospital yesterday after doctors said they were concerned following a routine test.

The 57-year-old is due to receive the results on Friday, but said he was confident they would not reveal anything serious. And he sent out a warning to all men not to ignore the disease. He said: 'Too many people die from cancer of the prostate.' I'm relaxed about it. I'm 95 per cent certain I haven't got the big C': Sam Hammam today faced up to a personal cancer scare and sent out a warning to all men not to ignore the disease.

Cardiff City's owner had a biopsy at a London hospital yesterday afternoon but later said: 'I am 95 per cent certain is isn't the big C.'

Doctors are concerned about a high level of readings following a test for prostate cancer when 57-year-old Hammam made his twice- yearly visits.

Hammam went straight home after the biopsy and will get the results on Friday.

It was the fifth biopsy he has had in the last six years and, typically facing the problem head on, said: 'Too many people die from cancer of the prostate. It is one of the biggest killers of man, but if you catch it early, there is no danger.

'Just a little care could ensure that not a single person need ever die from it. Once you are over 40 you should have at least one test a year. I have two. If you test regularly you catch any problem early and there is effective treatment, including removal of the prostate.

'OK, that would be extreme and only if the condition is advanced. If I needed an operation I would go to the USA to have it, but that is unlikely because I am tested regularly.

'This is something I have lived with for about six years, before I came to Cardiff City, and it's not the first biopsy I have had. In fact, it's the fifth.

'I am relaxed. I am 95 per cent certain it is not the big C. If it turns out that I am wrong then, because of my regular tests, I will have the appropriate treatment.'

Hammam admitted the test is 'painful' and results in 'a lot of bleeding for between 10 days and three weeks'.

'I feel a little bit under the weather, nothing more,' said Hammam as he watched Tim Henman's Wimbledon win at his London home yesterday evening. 'I had the biopsy and was able to walk to the car and come home. I had somebody there ready to drive me.

'Nida (Hammam's wife) is in the USA and we felt no need for her to come back. That's how relaxed I am about this.'

Hammam leads a hectic life, travelling between London and South Wales. He has driven Cardiff City forward, leading them from the Third Division to Coca-Cola Championship football. He is also battling against major club debts and boardroom strife which resulted in the departure of vice-chairman Michael Isaac, while bringing the dream of a new Bluebirds' stadium closer. Hammam is defiant at news: Sam Hammam's biopsy yesterday followed his regular tests for prostate cancer.

'There are four or five things the doctors can look for in the blood,' said Hammam. 'The PSA reading is an indication of whether you have cancer or not. My reading was high, as it has been before, and that's why I had the biopsy. But that has happened four times before and it was not cancer. Even if the result did turn out to be different I will have caught it early because of my regular tests.'

And Mr Hammam said if he had to have an operation, 'it would be no more than a bloody big nuisance.' HOW TO SPOT PROSTATE CANCER: Prostate cancer kills nearly 9,000 men each year in the UK. Men have a one in 12 risk of developing the disease - the same as a woman developing breast cancer.

n This risk is expected to rise to one in four by the year 2020 as people live longer. The cause or trigger for prostate cancer is unknown but it is believed that family history may play a role. High- profile victims of the disease have included TV star Bob Monkhouse, actor Telly Savalas and musician Frank Zappa. The symptoms of prostate cancer are: A poor flow of urine and frequent trips to the lavatory, even during the night. A feeling of not quite emptying the bladder after a visit to the toilet. Blood in the urine or semen. A severe backache for no obvious reason. 12,000 FOR TRIALS: Men in Cardiff are playing a leading role in a worldwide cancer check that could lead to a major change in the treatment of the disease. More than 12,000 middle-aged and elderly men are being recruited for the trial to try to discover the best form of treatment for prostate cancer. The 50 to 69-year-olds are being offered the blood test which will reveal any early signs of the disease. Treatment can include surgery or radiotherapy. In some cases, with regular checks, people can live with the condition with no treatment.

Source: South Wales Echo

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