Son of a Fighter

[lp1312]

Hello dear community, hope everything is well with all of you and your families. Im Rick the son of a 55 year old father that recently got diagnosed with Prostate Cancer Stage 4. At first he was misdiagnosed by our community urologist as a bladder cancer and after going with the TURBT procedure the biopsy showed us prostate metastatic cancer that managed to get up to the bladder wall and lymph nodes. We decided to switch our treatment to Fox Chase a well known cancer institute with Dr. Rosalia Viterbo. We are yet to do the PSA and Bone scan and we're seeing the Oncologist at Fox Chase next week, the Gleason score from the biopsy of the TURBT came out as 5+5 the most aggressive metastasis Prostate Cancer. Based on my research and reading the threads they will have my dad undergo the triplet therapy, after reading the thread you posted I would greatly appreciate any tips that you have towards dealing with this for my dad and us as a whole family, I'm pretty young in age 24 but I am doing my best to be there for my dad. I really hope everything is well with all of you and your treatments also. Any advices would be greatly appreciated. May God bless and protect you all!

[mrscruffy]

How about some words of encouragement. Diagnosed at 53, mets in spine and pelvis. 7 years and 10 months later still have the cancer but I am healthier than I was in my 30's from gym work and proper food consumption

[lp1312 in reply to mrscruffy]

Thanks for this kind response, wish you all the best!

[Cactus297 in reply to mrscruffy]

That’s so wonderful to hear!👏👏👏So happy for you!

[God_Loves_Me]

Tall_Allen will make comment here and Please listen to him.

I am not doctor. I can tell suggest you from my experience.

Build team that include Oncologist, Urologist , Radiations Oncologist, Cardiologist (Most of medicine has side effects on heart ) and your Primary care. do all scan and reports and meet one by one to all doctors and make best decisions

triplet therapy is best thing to do. I think your oncologist already suggest you.

[lp1312 in reply to God_Loves_Me]

I appreciate your response greatly!

[Tall_Allen]

Fox Chase has some great specialists. I hope he talks to Eric Horwitz about brachy boost therapy and Elizabeth Plimack for Oncology.

[lp1312 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you very much for your fast responses, they do have a great team and I do have high hopes, God bless you!

[pakb in reply to lp1312]

My husband is at Foxchase as well. Diagnosed at age 49 with Gleason 9, PSA over 677. You can look in my profile for details. Fixchase has been great. It will be 7 years in August since diagnosis. There wasn't triplet therapy in 2017 but latest studies that had just come out showed to immediately add chemo or zytiga to ADT (hormone therapy) so we did. You've found the best forum here to ask questions and get straight answers! My kids are your age now- they all have therapists they saw more in 2017, but still see once in a while that have helped them deal with this immensely. Be open and honest in the family and listen to your dad's wishes. 🩵

[TommyCarz2 in reply to pakb]

Did you "ADD ZYTIGA OR, DID YOU GO WITH CHEMO"?

[pakb in reply to TommyCarz2]

Both. You can see timeline in my profile. ADT with Chemo to start then ADT with Zytiga+prednisone since chemo ended.

[garyjp9 in reply to pakb]

Hello, who is your husband's doc at FC? Sounds like you recommend him/her?

[pakb in reply to garyjp9]

MO, and the main one we see, is Dr Geynisman. RO is Dr Jessica Wong and Urological Oncologist Dr Marc Smaldone.

[pakb in reply to pakb]

Have really liked them all.

[lcfcpolo]

Rick, full respect young man for supporting your father. You are a top son. Exercise definitely helps. Getting rid of any stress (which can be easier said than done) also helps. I've come off of alcohol and dairy but this is purely a gamble. BROQ as a supplement worth considering. Good luck to your family. Do look after yourself as well though, limit time in here, get therapy counselling as well.

[lp1312 in reply to lcfcpolo]

I greatly appreciate your response, I have been advocating for a change in lifestyle for a while, we can use this as an eye-opener for the whole family. Post treatment exercise and a good diet based on the doctor suggestions, I will do my best to keep him going!

[KocoPr]

I would also get yours and your fathers germline genetics tested along with your fathers biopsy tested.

Gleaon 10 at 53 is very young and could point to familial genetics.

Anyone else in your fathers blood line have hormonal cancers ( breast, prostate, ovarian colorectal etc…?

[lp1312 in reply to KocoPr]

Me and my whole close family are going to do the genetics test, as you said it is very alarming for the young age he has. We did not have any family case, not that we know of as my elders all lived back in Europe and they were not really keen on doctors back there.

[MPCSUX in reply to lp1312]

It was suggested to us prior to having genetic testing done on our kids (in their 20’s) we have them sign up for a life insurance policy . That way when asked in the application they can answer no to known genetic issues. Our genetic counselor said while health insurance cannot deny for preexisting conditions like insurance can.

Wishing you and your family strength and positive outcomes!!

[RodofGod in reply to MPCSUX]

True... Their father should be tested...my daughter, a nurse practitioner, stated the same... They can have difficulty with insurance issues...medical and life.

[Amadeus71]

Love that you're getting involved and supporting your dad. Many with PCA will feel and/or want to isolate. Treatment can be an emotional roller coaster for some. Treatment also brings physical changes as it intentionally causes testosterone to drop. Regular, vigorous exercise and healthy diet will help to offset those changes and also minimize side effects. I was diagnosed at 50, Gleason 9 and PSA topped out at 186. That was in the fall/winter of 2021. Still going strong, same as many other warriors. Keep the faith, stay positive, and stay in the fight!

🙏❤💪

[lp1312 in reply to Amadeus71]

I wish you all the best, thanks for the kind advice and keep going strong!!

[Mgtd]

The key to helping with SE from ADT is resistance training. He needs to start now before even having started therapy. He needs to build the habit pattern before the drugs start.

If he can start a walking program of 30 minutes a day that would be an added benefit.

If he not a regular gym goer then perhaps a trainer would be good to get him trained properly and to establish a program for him.

Good luck!

[lp1312 in reply to Mgtd]

Yes, we will start implementing daily walking and some resistance training. I also want to double check everything regarding exercises with the doctor, I am a big fitness passionate myself so I will be there to help and guide him through everything. Thanks for your response, wish you all the best!

[RodofGod]

Thus far Triplet therapy is working for me. Please have them do a test on dad to see if he has the gene that could be passed on to you that increases your risk of prostate cancer.

My results came back negative...

That puts my son in a better place of not having a heightened risk...

Please make sure you have your PSA number checked and watch for significant changes thereof...

[lp1312 in reply to RodofGod]

We will be doing the genetics test for my whole close family as soon as I we get my dad started with therapy, want to have that out of the way first. Thanks for your reponse, wish the best for you!

[j-o-h-n]

Greetings lp1312,

Unfortunately the beast has been a bad start for your whole family, but you are off to a good start in fighting the fucking beast..... Add historical and current data to your dear Dad's bio.....keep it updated cause it helps him and helps us too.....Keep posting here...........

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n

[Gabby643 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Good advice, John

[lp1312 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Hey John,

I am currently making a binder just to keep track of everything, as soon as we start the therapy and continue with it I will post a thread and also help everyone here just like you guys are helping me. Take care, wish you all the best!