My father Washington diagnosed Last year, în january 2022, with a 120 PSA and score Gleason 8, 4+4. He s done 1 month abiterone, 6 docetaxel and Eligard every 3 months. He s got bone metastasis, his CT is ok, even if his PSA started to grow. Now He starter enzalutamide. Every month he has an Xgeva, for bones. He feels fine, he s ok.I just want to ask you, should we be scared?
I m very affraid of what I read about life expectancy, about pronostics.
Îs it possible for him to have a longer life, îs IT possible for him to live more years than expected?
He s 62 years old.
Thank you! Wish u all the Best!
Love u guys, never give up!
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tuta1960
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Don’t take what you read about life expectancy as gospel. They are often based on old data and don’t factor in new treatments that are now available. New treatments have greatly increased life expectancy. And more treatments are constantly being developed. Those figures are just statistics. If the median age for some life expectancy study is 5 years realize the median isn’t the average. The median point is just the middle value of all the values without weighting how many were above and below that point. Your father’s experience will be unique to him and not bound by a statistic. His cancer is unique.
When I was first diagnosed at 58 I read those life expectancy figures too and was quite upset. It’s been over 5 years now and according to the predictions that I read back then I think I had only a 30% chance of still being alive. But everything is under control. My cancer has not progressed. I feel good and have no symptoms.
Your response here is amazing and inspiring. Reading your Bio and seeing at which point you started at and seeing how well you are doing today is so good to see. You are completely right. I tend to get caught up on prognosis as well but this sort of answer is what snaps me back to where my mind needs to be. I read this a few minutes too late as I just posted something now regarding prognosis.. whoops. Anyway just want to say I love this answer, it is what I needed right now and I appreciate you. I wish you continued success !
Thank you. It’s easy to get caught up in the doomsday predictions. I went down that path at first. But this forum and my medical team helped give me perspective. Not once has any of my doctors uttered a word about life expectancy or made any predictions. They just talk about what is the best treatment now and when a treatment doesn’t work or quits working how they will move to the next treatment. I find that very comforting.
I also heard a piece I think on NPR about how, with all the advances in cancer treatment with more coming all the time, for many patients cancer is more of a chronic condition to be treated and lived with rather than a terminal condition. It’s certainly not the case for everyone but for many cancer patients that is the situation. That really helped me.
That is very true. Of course you are going to have people who unfortunately go too early because of it but I am noticing a lot of people who start off with a much worse starting point than you or my father and yet they are double the life expectancy and still going strong. And then I have seen people take a turn for the worst earlier than expected.
But that is life, like some people have told me .. they were given 3-5 years and here they are on year 7,8,9 and they have a list of funerals they've been to for friends/family that were seemingly healthy. Live life to the fullest who knows what life will bring to anyone at any given time
I have been with my dad fighting for six years. He did the same meds . Please look at my bio for the answer to be more full. Pm me and don't let my next post scar you . I have a lot to share with youbut it's difficult to write today as I'm throwing up from steroids I'm taking for auto immune issues so that I can just be mobile and see my dad in kesler rehab every day for two weeks . Meds are in the pipeline and no honestly I want you to breathe and enjoy that things are " ok" and really enjoy each other ,travel if he can , just love.. the rest is understanding this is mostly protocsl. It's very helpful to get a minimum of three Drs involved and to always have a hematologist onco on the back burner or just hematologist to monitor fully m if he's accepting of anything natural def look for those posts to incorporate into western care . Basically you buy time with each treatment . I'm now in a very bad spot so follow me but don't read the current situation bc it will scare you . Alive and finding joy together will extend his life beyond Google old false stats . I hope to be of use in your life as I will be needing counseling for grief and my dad is fighting to survive ,and i am angry his Dr is not treating low hemoglobin and anemia and can't get him on board to say yes I'll add him to treatment donehile your loved one is all get a few Drs involved in care and create a team that you'll need later later later in the game. When I was in your spot I started grieving and missed time with him bc I could t handle . Use this board to get info experience snd support . Enjoy your time. He is not his diseases and never will be. I didn't get to bc my counsellors kept moving but if you can ,join a support group bc my dad's wives negative energy was part of the decline and now severe depression and fading. Just be you 🤗 and know yes you guys are in a good place with many options at lowering psa . Love and healing to all
6 1/2 + Except for the cancer I am healthier and in better physical shape than any time in my life. I too freaked out with life expectancy. I am kicking cancer's ass
Thank you all for answering! Wish u all the Best! Hope to see u here în the next 15 years. As one of our doctors said...prostate cancer îs the Best of them all ! 🙈 Hope it s True and we all can defeat it ! God bless u all!
Hi I got diagnosed in January 2022 PSA 370 had biopsies "the horse had already bolted "
Got into blood stream into lungs and bones .Cutting the story short straight onto hormone therapy .Then a couple of months later docetaxel (6) once a month.I also worked through this period (I am a first aid trainer) very tired late in the day. My last 2 monthly PSA tests 0.08.Just had the yearly scans PSMA CT should have results this Monday.End of month most probably go onto Zytiga ,subject to to one more PSA test.Remain positive ,give him plenty of massages ,if still sore try and find him a hydro therapy pool.Also remember the sun will shine tomorrow "somewhere".Also i check the obituaries every morning if my name is not there I know i am having a good day!!! He will have a good 15 -20 year lifespan easy and at the end of the 20 years they will have found another new product In 2023 it is amazing what is around the corner with new products.I am 73 .Make sure he exercises regularly. I mean light to medium weights till he is exhausted as he will have muscle waste if he does not.Plus try and walk every day.Regards Brian
Indeed, what I can notice about my father is that, despite a strong musculature, now his legs and arms have become thinner. He walks a lot, I will insist that he do some exercises for his legs and arms.
Offfff, thank you very much for the answer! I am convinced that his state of mind is very important for his health, we try to support him and love him as much as we can. I wish you health and strength!
Nobody can answer those questions. Take every day as an opportunity for service and gratitude and try to enjoy every day to the fullest. Get the best advice you can and don't hesitate to fire your doctors if they aren't part of the solution.
Lillian Russell once said: “We all have a fear of the unknown. What one does with that fear will make all the difference in the world.” Stay positive! 🦊
Diagnosed 7 years ago with G9, aggressive pca. At first was told 5 years. Now starting my 8th year with no mets. On Nubeqa now over 20 months.My rad doc has told me I will pass with it not of it.
Need to add I survived 40 years after Testicular Cancer, the young man's Cancer.
Remember this: we are all different but a positive attitude makes all the difference. My attitude is like my blood type....B+.
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Hello 
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