Unsure of treatment
Hey all, Recently diagnosed with Grade 2. I'm trying to pick my poison. My biopsy results are, 11 cores sampled, six were Gleason Score 6 and one was 7 (3+4), PSA 4.35. I'm 72 and in good health otherwise. The urologist recommends nerve sparing surgery. I plan on getting a couple more opinions but I wonder if each will recommend what they do best, ie, a radiation oncologist. Will he suggest radiology? All options have some significant side effects so I guess it come down to which side effects I choose. I'm thinking HIFU but the cancer is bilateral and I understand HIFU works best if the cancer is on one side. I know surgery is supposed to be the gold standard but what do you all think would be the next best thing to surgery? I've been reading extensively but it's all starting to run together. I want to go in knowing what I'm talking about. Thanks
I certainly understand about all the information you have read running together. One of the great things about technology is that you can find anything you want to know about a topic, and one of the not so nice things about technology is that you can find so much information that it all becomes muddled and unclear. Top that confusion with information that may be misleading or false. But we do need to educate ourselves. As you sift through your information make a list of questions to ask ALL your doctors. There's that old adage about there never being a stupid and that's certainly true. Patients are not medically trained to understand everything we read or hear. If you don't understand something, ask. I you need more information about something, ask. If something doesn't make sense, ask. We went to each appointment armored with lists of questions. That process also helped us in selecting the right physician for us. If a doctor didn't want to spend the time to respond to our questions, we were no longer interested in that physician. You said that you'll be getting additional medical opinions which is critical. Ask each doctor the same questions so you can have a better understanding of how they would treat you. Once you have all your questions answered you may find yourself in a better position to decide on a treatment path. Best wishes to you as you move forward with whatever is best for you. Here is a good website to compare your odds. You have to determine your stage, low risk, intermediate, or high risk (risk of recurrance). So if you are intermediate, pull up the intermediate chart and you can see your odds of 10-20 yr survival, etc. based on the treatment you pick.
https://www.prostatecancerfree.org/compare-prostate-cancer-treatments/
It is best viewed on computer or just print it on paper. Not so viewable on phone.
Also look up micro-mets. Once thought that cancer tumours threw off mets only at late stage, but now they realize mets are thrown off much earlier. Its just that the early ones are usually weaker. Some of these mets can find a spot to sit but stay dormant for years.
I know of two who had cancer on both sides of the Prosate . I had HIFU with cancer on just one side, all three of us are doing well with no side effects. I am in my 5 years cancer free. I wishing you the best.
Hi Johnny,I was wondering if you know anyone that has had radiation and hormone therapy? I need help deciding what to do.
yes , I am in a prostate support group. there are several that went with radiation, other have had removal , and a few of us had HIFU. I would suggest lookig into all procedures to see what is the best based on what type of life you are looking to have. All procedures are different with different out comes. I wish you the best in finding what will work for you yes sorry , I did not see this this just today. I know serval that had radiation and hormone therapy. I know two which had radiation done 15 years ago with no hormone therapy. Both had no side effects , i belive it was at least 30 + treatments of radiation they had back then. Now there is many ways with less # of treament . One of the two after 15 years is starting to have a problem with his PSA going up. Back then they did not use hormone treatment .
Now the ones that i know that have had radiation usally have hormone with the radiation treatment, this is done now because it gets better results, but there a cost to using the hormone with the radiation , side effects. The side effects are many.
It a hard call and is awlays a personal choice that someone has to make. As i was going through my jounery which prostate cancer , i was going to have removal of the prostate. but pre-op found I need two stents due to blockage . After that I was going for the radiation with a Doctor I call my buger king doctor, I GOT HIM to agree to due it MY WAY radiation WITH OUT HORMONE. Then after getting the marking for radiation , I changed my mind and went with HIFU. Wishing you the best I hope this was helpful.
