Doctors suggest new names for low-grade prostate cancer.

[cesces]

I'm not sure what I think of this

Doctors suggest new names for low-grade prostate cancer.

apnews.com/article/science-...

[treedown]

I wish I would have had a lower level risk cancer but I went from my PSA test result to diagnosis of high risk in 2 weeks. As hard as it was wrapping my head around it I wonder if having a harder diagnosis drawn out over a long period of time could conceivably be more difficult.

[dac500]

How can you be sure you have low grade prostate cancer? I am fighting metastatic prostate cancer even though I was diagnosed with low grade cancer in 2011. A biopsy found two of twelve cores with cancer and both with about 10% cancerous. My cancer was graded Gleason 3 + 3. So, it was low grade and low volume cancer. So, what happened?

Rebranding low grade cancer may lead to some men falling through the crack.

[addicted2cycling in reply to dac500]

dac500 wrote --- " ... I was diagnosed with low grade cancer in 2011. A biopsy found two of twelve cores with cancer and both with about 10% cancerous. My cancer was graded Gleason 3 + 3. So, it was low grade and low volume cancer. So, what happened? "

Simply put -- back in 2011 you undoubtably had a TRUS Biopsy that was extremely incomplete and it missed the more aggressive PCa. The TRUS biopsy should be discontinued.

A Trans-perineal template or freehand guided should be the biopsy methods relied upon for obtaining samples for pathology determination.

[dac500 in reply to addicted2cycling]

I don't need explanation for the biopsy I had in 2011. My point is low grade prostate cancer shouldn't be rebranded.

[addicted2cycling in reply to dac500]

Sorry, I did not mean to offend in any way, it's just that if a biopsy method that is still used today can not by design yield an accurate expression of what's inside a prostate r.e. a Gleason Score, it should be replaced with current technology methods.

Second opinions of cores samples can change grading as can second opinions of MRI results.

[rscic in reply to dac500]

Agreed

[Teacherdude72 in reply to addicted2cycling]

There is now 3D imaging that is used in Brachy therapy via TURP. The instruments have significantly improved. Not saying Trans-perineal isn't good but the 3D actually visualizes the prostate and can see what needs to be tested/treated.

[pjoshea13]

Dr. Myers once suggested, in a vlog post on Gleason 3+3, "Don't call it cancer!"

The problem with this, and with active surveillance in general, is that 25-30% of cases will progress.

The other thing to note is that after RP, the patholgist will often regrade the cancer. Biopsies are hit or miss.

-Patrick

[cesces in reply to pjoshea13]

I refuse to disagree with you.

[CAMPSOUPS]

IMHO leave it be. If it wasn't cancer then there would be no AS...no?

[dentaltwin]

They're so clever with the acronyms. If they had the courage of their convictions they'd call them benign tumors. They can't quite get themselves to say that, so they hedge. Same thing going on with papillary thyroid cancer and DCIS in breast cancer (oh, we shouldn't call it "ductal CARCINOMA in situ!). How about tumors that are locally aggressive, but rarely metastasize--like basal cell carcinoma or ameloblastoma? Are doctors really so poor at explaining risk that they have to resort to buzzwords?

Rant over.

[j-o-h-n]

I think name them after the "Seven Dwarfs" since no one can ever name all seven of them.......

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 04/20/2022 11:51 PM DST