Can someone explain why treating Gleason 4+3 is a good idea when MSK's calculator shows low risk of death
I got my biopsy results and am Gleason 4+3 without spread but in both sides of prostate. The doctor recommends treatment.
Memorial Sloane Kettering's life expectancy calculator, however, shows that if I don't do treatment, out of 100 men, 6 will die within 10 years of prostate cancer. That's a 6% chance, which seems really small and worth the risk, especially since attending a survivor's group and seeing how unhappy so many men are there.
The risk increases to 11 percent at 15 years but that's still almost a 90% chance.
If I have treatment, it's going to be two years lost and at my age two years is a lot to give up. Those who chose to treat Gleason 4+3 can you explain why? Thanks.
I am also 4+3=7 but only 1 positive core of 12 samples. I’m 68. My PSA is 14 on finasteride and steadily rising. I believe that I would be alive in 10 years without treatment. However, I also believe the cancer will grow and spread and my last years would have a good chance of being pretty miserable on palliative care. That’s why I’m treating it with SBRT to begin soon. But, if you elect active surveillance, I totally get and respect that position.
