Hi guys, I'm David and new to this forum. Got confirmation that I have PC last Tuesday. To be honest I haven't read the pamphlets and paperwork he gave me yet. Just need to let it sink in a bit. I'm 56, good health otherwise, just unfortunate in this regard I guess. PSA was 8.7 and Gleason score was 3 + 4. It is contained in the prostrate but doctor said action is needed. Discussed some options, but havent done my research as yet. I know it can't be avoided too long, just want to pretend it isn't the case a bit longer (foolish I know).
This forum has been great with loads of stories and experiences, thanks guys! Sorry we, or anyone, has to get through this, but here we are. I guess the key word is 'get through'. Something I hope I, and all of you will do too.
Anyway, not sure much else can be said right now, just wanted to introduce myself and I will keep you posted. Best of luck to us all.
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I know the news seems surreal, but you have a lot of positives on your side as you deal with this condition. The treatment options and almost monthly treatment advancements are truly amazing these day. My advice to you is twofold: don't rush into any treatment because of fear; there are many legitimate treatment options out there, and fight your emotions by keeping your body fit through exercise and diet. Remember you aren't alone; there is a caring brotherhood here.
Hello and sorry that you are here. It is a shock to be told you have cancer, but there is good news. Yes you have cancer. But yours Gleason score of 7. While that sucks, it is still curable and is not considered advanced. It is at a stage that you need to treat it. Please know that you have time to consider your opinions. There are a lot of options available to you from surgery to radiation to cryogenic and ultrasound. Hopefully you will not need secondary treatments but also consider them. For example if you choose radiation as your primary treatments and the cancer comes back you generally can not have surgery. It may also be good if you can get a CT and bone scan. Chances are that they will be negative, but they can help rule out if it has spread and can be used as a benchmark.
Your Gleason score is in your favor and gives you some time to make an informed decision without being pressured to act immediately. So yes, give yourself some time to let the diagnosis sink in and to gather information. MANY of us have been there before you and are here to tell the story. Chances are you will be too, many years from now. Good luck!
Hi I think we all feel your shock on hearing that we have cancer, but on the positive you and I have a Gleason score showing it is contained there for I feel luckier then many others, me personally chose 4D Brachytherapy and am 10 months post treatment and all seams to be going well PSA going down now just 0.95 from 6.8. If this is something you may be interested in please let me know and I can pass on more info. Keep positive and get fit for whatever treatment you chose. Good luck
Hi Rob23, many thanks for sharing your story. Brachytherapy is something I am interested in and would welcome your input whenever you get a spare moment. Keeping positive and not rushing. Thanks again, David
Hi perhaps the easiest way to get the best information is to give you the contact details of we're I had my treatment. Professor S. Langley ptostatespecialist.co.uk the hospital is in Guildford Surry. It's not local to me but I got my local hospital to refer me. The clinic is private but they applied for funding for me, if you decide to go down this avenue let me know because there are parts of the treatment I feel you need to know about, good luck and keep fit.
David, my numbers were almost identical to yours when I was diagnosed last year at 59. After months of research and going to support groups I decided to have a RP this past July. So far things are going as well as I could have expected. You have lots of options and I know this is scary as heck. Hopefully you have some good family/friends supporting you. I was very lucky in that regard.
Thanks so much for sharing your story. I do have great family and friends giving loads of support. Happy you have that too. I wish you the very best in your recovery. Again, thanks, David.
Be sure you have had the most novel scans done to be sure there is no spread. My scans were negative, margins negative, lymph nodes negative. Post RP PSA was 9.6. metastatic. Research and many questions before decisions will help. One thing for sure is the urologist sells surgery and the radiation oncologist sells RT. They have a tendency to make you feel you must hurry but take enough time to get some answers. Best wishes to you.
Have the robotic surgery as a last resort as Incontinence and erectile disfunction can take a few years to go. See how bad they say it is and make a decision from that I had prostate cancer age46 over a year on and still suffering with after symptoms described.
Thanks so much for this. Seems like a lot of guys share your advice about surgery vs other treatments. The more I read up on it, the more I'd rather try something else. Per my doctor, my cancer was caught fairly early and therefore I have other choices. Still thinking about what to do, hope to make a decision soon. May I wish you the very best in your recovery and again thanks.
David. Did you get a second read/opinion on your Gleason Score from someone like Dr. Epstein. (hopkinsmedicine.org/hmn/f02... He is the acknowledged expert pathologist in the country. 3+4 is not at bad as 4+3 and 3+7 is only one step above 3+3 which is considered low grade cancer. Get a second opinion while you do your research. Then look into T3 MRI. It will give you a much better look at your prostate than the standard needle biopsy. What has your PSA been in the past? Has it always been in that range? Has in increased? How fast? There are many things that affect the PSA like Urinary Infections and prostatitis. You should clear these off as causes first. These are important answers to know to help you make proper decisions.
Thanks so much. Loads of really good questions and great advice for me, very much appreciated. This was my first PSA test so trending not possible. The thing is my dad had PC some 22 years ago and I was told that if father/brother had it, your chances are increased. Did have CT scan, blood test for PSA, blood test for liver and kidney function, digital examination, biopsy (6 of the ten tissue sample revealed cancer), even had a camera up my penis (forgot the name of that procedure) to view the bladder (which looked ok).
I will take my time and do some research and find the best course of action for me. I don't feel rushed and that's mainly due to the fantastic reply I have gotten from you and others and for that, I thank you very very, David.
I am going to repeat the comment that I have posted on this forum a few times before. Here goes.
I had a random PSA check back in August 2015 at 74 years of age. That gave a PSA of 5.0. Rectum exam showed a small lump on prostate. MRI was clear but biopsy gave Gleason of 8 (5+3). MRI, CT and bone scans done but all clear with no spread out of the prostate. I was offered RP by Da Vinci in Nov 2015, even at my age. The Urologist said that I appeared to be fit and healthy enough for that! I accepted the RP rather than the lengthy radiotherapy treatment. I had the RP on 23 Nov 2015. Catheter for just 8 days, pads for 6 weeks. All dry thereafter. Absolutely no pain or during op and really no pain after that. My PSA count is now (less than) 0.1. Of course, RP when the Gleason score is 8 or higher will mean that the nerves are removed along with the prostate, hence no more erections or semen. That is a matter for each one to think about. But at my age that was a small price to pay for the 'cure'.
I would strongly recommend that you listen to your Urologist and be guided by him/her. We are all different and there is no 'one treatment' that will suit everyone. I wish you well, but your Gleason of 7 and low PSA bode well in my opinion.
Terry, can't thank you enough for sharing your story with me. I don't feel as nervous or rushed about it all and that's all due to the fantastic response I've been getting from you and others. I will take your advice and include it with my research and I am sure I will come up with the right answers. Thanks again, David
Sorry to here your news David but the key word should be 'fight this' . When my husband was told 2 years ago that he had PC with metastasis in bones and lymph nodes we went home and didn't tell our family for a week while we researched what we could do.
So firstly we got rid of everything in the kitchen cupboards that contained sugar, everything that was processed , everything that was toxic. We decided that we would only buy organic , have no meat, no dairy, no alcohol, no gluten it was going to be hard but we did it and eventually our grown up daughers took it on board to.
Cancer cannot grow in an alkaline, glucose free oxygenated environment.
We started taking good quality vitamins, c and d also Pomi T for prostrate health. Drinking lemon with bicarbonate every morning and juiced fresh organic vegetables. Our life changed but we where fighting it and taking control of our health. My husband felt empowered. We also started on hormone injections to decrease testosterone monthly which where main stream medicine.
His Gleason was 4 + 5 with a PSA of 360 to start with we got it down to 17 and it stayed like that for 2 years. When it started to slowly rise we looked at other alternatives which included a clinic in Germany that did alternative therapies that boosted the immune system like hyperthermia,intravenous vit c, mistletoe injections, ozone therapy,detoxification, buselin injections, magnetic therapy we stayed for a month. Guys came that only had PC in the prostrate they stayed for a week and had hyperthermia straight into the prostrate their success rate was amazing.
The latest mri scan has shown that the cancer in his bones has stayed the same as two years ago and the cancer in lymph nodes has shrunk and his PSA is decreasing.
I would be interested to know which route you take.
I'm afraid suzy22's actions and advice such as "Cancer cannot grow in an alkaline, glucose free oxygenated environment" are based on myths.
Prostate cancer is also different from most cancers in its slow growth rate and tendency not to use glucose as an energy source, instead using 'short chain fatty acids' such as acetate.
The PSA drop and halted progression are what is expected from the hormone injections to decrease testosterone. The pomiT may be helpful.
For you, 3+4 generally grows quite slowly but your PSA is seriously high for 56 and the cancer is probably fairly big and may have grown a little beyond the prostate in the local area. SStill curable but a bit harder and with more ttreatment effects. A pelvic MRI needs to wait for bruising from the biopsy to go down - 6-8 weeks - but could help a lot with treatment planning. Brachytherapy is a great treatment if applicable.
Mine was similar,slightly lower PSA, grown 1mm outside the prostate and now cured - zero PSA at 2 years,but with no erectile function because of the extra wide surgery.
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