New Member

[boxmk]

I have prostate cancer with a gleason score of 6 (3+3) and PSA around 5. I have had two biopsies 1 year apart with similar results. Always two cores with malignancy and all others benign. Genomic testing was at 11. I have chosen active surveillance with a PSA every 6 months. Any advice?

[fiem48]

My urologist suggest the same along with the opinions of two others 

[ng27868168]

First question.  How old are you?  Next is a little, but very important piece of advice.  Having chosen the Active Surveillance route, make DAMN sure you and your Doc are REALLY actively surveilling your PC. I am a facilitator in our local PC support group as well as an American Cancer Society Mentor and I have witnessed MORE than a few younger men (50-65) who took the "easier way out" (AS) and regretted it later.  Once the PC is out of the prostate gland, it's a whole different ball game an the cure rate drops dramatically.       I am a 22 year PC survivor, had radical surgery at age 52, 36 doses of radiation at 54, and an orchiectomy (testicles removed) at 56 in order to stop the PC.    Good luck.

[boxmk in reply to ng27868168]

Thanks for the advice.  I'm 55.  The cancer was found at 54.   PSA has been from 4 - 5 over the past few years....up and down.  

[ng27868168 in reply to boxmk]

The #1 thing you need to remember is that cancer is not like a cold. It very seldom, if ever, goes away by itself and continues to grow without treatment of some kind.  You have an average of 30+ years of life ahead of you.  Don't cheat yourself and your family out of it. 

[skillmk]

Active Surveillance seems to be a viable option for you at this point.  I'm doing the same, and my numbers are similar to yours: Gleason 6, PSA around 5, 1 positive core in biopsy.  My doc suggested PSA testing every 6 months, but I'm doing every 3 months.

[boxmk in reply to skillmk]

Did you choose 3 month PSA for your own comfort level?

[skillmk in reply to boxmk]

Yes, I did.  Friends/family were concerned that I wasn't choosing treatment, so to prevent them from ever saying "I told you so", I'm checking my PSA more frequently.

[boxmk in reply to skillmk]

Thanks....just asked for an increase in frequency. 

[boxmk]

Thanks to those who recommended active surveillance being treated as active. I've asked that my PSA be done every 3 - 4 months rather then every 6 months.