Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer

Prayers sent, God be with you, it is the one with a good chance of recovery and least effect on your total life. At 81, I have several friends who have had it and unlike lung or pancreatic cancer, almost all are still here 5 years later and pain free. Several different ways to treat it depending on what is wrong, so not l grab at the brass ring.

 

prayers sent... may God bless you and yours and keep you all well, safe, and protected.

 

Most prostate cancer is very slow growing (mine is-so far) sounds as if yours is not and is also sounds as if you have caught it early. Good luck with your treatment, prayers sent, keep the faith and a positive outlook. I'd like to know what they are doing to shrink your prostate 'cause I sure could use mine to be shrunk. It is treatable and if you have to get cancer, this one is probably the best one to get as survival rates are so high

 

Prayers outbound.Hang tough, this one is usually beatable.

 

Prayers outbound! We are with you.

 

Thanks for the kind words, encouragement and prayers, ya'll. It's not going to be a quick treatment, but the plan for me has been proven to work well. I'm not going to bore ya'll with the details or how things are going or updates, but I will keep ya'lls well wishes close to my heart.

Kajun

 

Prayers for healing on the way.

Please keep us in the loop.

 

I was diagnosed almost 4 years ago. The urologist told me I had only two choices, radiation or surgery.

I chose another urologist.

The problems with the type radiation treatments you're talking about are twofold. .

1) If the cancer returns, surgery is no longer an option. Surgery following radiation can result in a fistula. Look it up. It's way too gross to talk about here.

2) The radiation energy from the focused beam will not stop at the target and can often inflame tissues in the rectum, resulting in rectal cancer. You're simply trading one kind of cancer for another.

The side effects of surgery are extremely long recovery time and incontinence and impotence, along with all the other usual suspects that accompany surgery.

I spent a month or three researching treatments. There are treatments available that target the cancer that are far less damaging to other local tissues. Check out Laser and High Intensity Focused Ultrasound. There are also surgeries that target only that portion of the prostate that is cancerous.

There is also another type of less dangerous radiation treatment called Brachytherapy, where radioactive palladium pellets are placed in the prostate.

In my case, I opted for actively watching (yearly biopsies and PSA checks) and monitoring the situation rather than just jumping into drastic treatments such as surgery or radiation. It's a Gleason score of 6 and I have two areas of involvement. One is 7% involved and the other is 25% as of my last biopsy in January. My cancer could not even be detected on a 3T Parametric MRI.

Get a second opinion, get a third opinion. Talk to a urologist that does HIFU and one that does Laser. There is proton therapy that is far more accurate and takes half the time. Do your homework on the various treatment options and dig dig dig for information. It's your best defense.

These people can really hurt you and the damage cannot be undone. Don't let them railroad you into drastic treatments. They'll do it to treat even a low grade cancer that does not require it and you don't even want to talk about the side effects. It's easy for them to do because the thought of cancer in your body is a frightening one.

DON'T PANIC!

Most prostate cancers are slow growers. In fact, if you're close to 70, it's often recommended that nothing be done because you'll die of something else before the prostate cancer ever kills you. Many more men die with prostate cancer than from it.

If your cancer is a Gleason score 6 or 7 and your PSA only minimally out of limit, don't let them panic you. Do your own research and really dig into it with some on-line computer time. Then talk to more than one urologist.

Prostate cancer grading explained - Prostate Cancer - Stages and Grades

Here's a short list from the CDC of prostate cancer treatment options. Look around, there are many, many more.
How Is Prostate Cancer Treated? | CDC

 

My Father had prosrate cancer, caught early. He had the radioactive pellets, and it worked. He died many years later from lung and heart problems.

 

sending prayers and Good Mojo your way....

 

Real good advice from AltoidFF. My score was also a 6 and I'm waiting and watching. My urologist said come back and see us next year after my diagnosis, I said I'll see you in 3 months and 3 months after that. My brother waited too long and it killed him. My father's law partner had the pellets and those worked well for him.

 

Gleason will throw false positives. Get your doc to ask for a retest.

 

Thanks, once again for the wisdom and good wishes.

My social security payments started last month, so I'm getting some of what I paid in back.

I've been to 3 docs, Gleeson of 8. I have breathing/heart problems so anesthetic for prostatectomy not a good idea. With high Gleeson, seeds aren't a good option, either. 3 of 3 docs recommend the radiation beam therapy. My chosen radiation oncologist said he uses the proton beam radiation, so I'm going to go that route. I meet with him again on Oct 25 to get things kicked off with a shot to start decreasing my testosterone. He said about 2 months after shot, we'll start the radiation beam therapy. 42 treatments, 5/week. Soooo, although I had really hoped for the seeds, it isn't in the cards.

Again, thanks to everyone.

 

Yeah Gleason of 8, 3 of 3 docs, proton beam sounds as if you've made an informed decision. I just became irritated with the first urologist who said surgery or radiation as if the situation were dire, and it wasn't in my case. Sounds as if you're a bit further along and maybe with a more aggressive form.

Well, these days a lot of advances have been made in treatment options. So above all, don't get discouraged. The idea of cancer in your body is a scary one. But it looks like you did your footwork. Keep us posted. They'll nail it.

 

Prayers indeed Tex, Cousin has been going to M.D.Anderson in your state for prostate cancer,His has been cured by M.D.
Please keep that in mind !!!

 

Same here doc said "you got it, most men your age have it. We will test every 3 years but IF it kills you it most likely won't be until yer in the late 90s and lets be honest Mike you will do good to make it to 75 because you do way to many hold my beer and watch this shit kind of things." For most of us something we have and should be aware of but not panic over.

That being said cancer sucks in any form and smoke and prayers up for you TXKajun.

 

Take your time and learn as much as you can about the different methods of treatment. I was diagnosed 18 years ago. Went in for my annual physical and Dr. detected something during the "rubber glove" inspection. Gleason came back a 10. Opted for surgery. Lab work after revealed that cancer was contained in the prostate and probable the gleason was wrong. Had 2 first cousins that were diagnosed about the same time. One had seeds planted and the other had radiation. Both are gone now Good to be alive at 72. Treatments have come a long way since 2001. Be positive, you will beat this..

 

Prayers sent for you in your treatment and recovery, for your Doc in his decision-making and treatment application, and your family for the strength they will need to help and support you.