Active surveillance maybe for my prostate cancer

[pd63]

Had follow up appt today with nurse.

Gleason score 3+4, about as good as can be expected.

Oncologists/urology team discussing my case next week and will advise further 31st Oct.

She mentioned possible active surveillance but decision maybe up to me at the end of the day

[mav7]

Gleason score is good, low grade, correct ?

Depending on your age and other factors, "active surveillance" is common these days. I have not experienced prostate cancer, but a friend just was diagnosed and elected "surveillance". He is 81, but seems like most over 75 are given the choice.

Best to you in managing your health.

[javo123j]

I got similar result in March and am under active surveylance. I think it's a personal choice but I went with doctors

[Desanthony]

In the end it is all up to you, whether or not you have treatment or not and which treatment you choose - if there is a choice given taking into account the staging and results from all other tests and scans unless there are reasons to choose a particular treatment on the advice of the Urologist or Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT)

I had the same result 6 years ago (PSA 13, Gleason & (3+4) Staging T2N0M0 but at MRI my tumour could be seen to be pushing out at the back of my prostate so the urologist decided that T3 disease could not be ruled out because they could not be sure whether or not some microscopic cancer cells had not already escaped to spread into the local area - these would be too small to show up on a PET Scan there fore the Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) decided to advise me to have treatment and as they couldn't be sure that the cells had not spread suggested that 9 months of Hormone Therapy (HT) followed by 4 weeks of radiotherapy (RT) - started 6 months into the HT which would give the HT enough time to bring PSA down and weaken the cancer cells so that the RT would be more effective was my best option as this would treat the whole area and get any of the possible escapee cancer cells.. I had this done and here I am nearly 7 years later and to all intents and purposes cured as my PSA has been undetectable ever since. Minimal side effects from the HT and RT which I am convinced was because I kept exercising all the way through the treatment which helped with fatigue and possible weight gain - I gained less than 5lbs through the treatment - which compared to others is good.

My father died at 88 with prostate cancer (not of prostate cancer) and both myself and my younger brother were diagnosed at around the same age. I was further along the line than him with my Gleason at 7 as he had Gleason 6 but decided to treat with brachytherapy, due to family history, nearly 4 years ago and now both of us are clear - or as clear as we can expect to be every PSA test has us and our wives a little worried until we get the results.

Active surveillance is a good choice so long as it is active surveillance and you are tested regularly, have annual scans and biopsies - just be proactive and make sure that none of these slips by and if you have any new or worsening symptoms to see your urologist.

All the best.

[pd63]

thanks for the info, psa is 4.2, no symptoms, dre normal, plenty time to think it over

[Ppiman]

A neighbour has just this. He was told that there's a move to stop calling this form of the disease "cancer" as it is not one that ever spreads from the prostate capsule. I hadn't heard that.

Steve

[pd63]

radiotherapy can cause erectile dysfunction wife said there's always a silver lining lol