Health issues

An unexpected cancer diagnosis changed Tim Gaze’s life forever

Apr 21, 2018

Tim Gaze was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. Picture source: Supplied to Starts at 60

Tim Gaze, ex-member of Rose Tattoo and guitarist for Jimmy Barnes, had his life turned upside down when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009. In Australia, nine men die from the disease each day, while 20,000 are diagnosed each year. Tim recently told Starts at 60 about his experience. This is his story in his own words.

In 2006, I’d already had a friend who had been affected by prostate cancer and passed away because he was diagnosed late. That was the first time I’d experienced a loss of a friend to this disease.

I started having a blood test every year after that. In 2009, I went to my GP about something unrelated. He asked if we’d done a blood test that year and since we hadn’t, we did one. I didn’t think anything of it. The PSA results came back at about 5.4. He said they were a bit high and advised me to have another test in six weeks. I didn’t even have any pain. I had no idea it was where it was at. You probably won’t get any symptoms pain-wise, but if you’re having trouble going to the toilet or it takes you a while to go, I’d be getting it checked.

In six weeks, it had gone from 5.4 to 8.7. I still wasn’t too concerned. I thought I would be ok. I went to see a specialist at the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane and he was great. That was the first time I’d had a physical exam. He doubled up with the physical exam and said he was very concerned. He’d found some hardening on the prostate. He did a biopsy and came back with 20 out of 28 that had different levels of cancer. He was hopeful that we got it in time, but wasn’t sure if it had gone through the wall or whether any secondary stuff had started.

One thing lead to another and he had to remove the prostate. I’d had my first son in October and I got diagnosed with it three months later, on Christmas Eve. One minute I’ve got this beautiful gift of my first son, and three months later, I got diagnosed with cancer. When you haven’t been diagnosed with something like cancer, it’s a big shock. You don’t know what it is. You haven’t been there. You know it’s bad, but you’re not sure as to what extent or how serious initially. That was pretty traumatic and I guess it would be for most people.

It’s changed our lives somewhat, but fortunately, my GP was doing what he was supposed to be. If he hadn’t, it’d be a lot different. Because my surgeon was so concerned with the hardening and my numbers, the best way to go was to get the operation. If it had gone secondary and he wasn’t sure, I still had the option of getting the radiotherapy treatment after the operation, whereas if you do radiotherapy first, you don’t have the option of being able to do it again. It doesn’t work the other way around. Fortunately, I didn’t have to go down the chemo road. Anyone going through that gets knocked around a fair bit.

When I had the operation, for a few years, my levels were very low. But then they started to elevate again gradually. When it got to 0.05 again, which was the level they advise you to start getting radiotherapy in Australia, I went in and had 35 treatments of radiotherapy. It took the levels right back down again. Thankfully, they’ve been down ever since. I’m only doing a yearly check-up at the moment. I went for my first yearly check-up in November and the cancer was undetectable.

I’m on track these days. I’m doing things, I’m working, I’m clear. My specialist is extremely happy and I’m very happy, too. It’s had a bit of an impact on my sex life, I guess, and I’ve got to get up a little bit in the night to go and have a leak, but I’m not incontinent. I just have to adjust a little bit around those few things, but that’s a great outcome. I feel lucky that blood test happened when it did.

If you ever think of anything, make sure you get a blood test for your prostate stuff. Really, it’s because it’s so prevalent and happens a lot and happens more and more, it’s no big deal. Just go and get a blood test.