2 weeks to go for prostate surgery

What's the difference between classic 6 and 6 with family history

It is undertstood that folk with a family history of PCa have a greater chance of developing PCa than men who don't have a family history of the disease. Depending on who you read, up to 50% more chance. So given your family history, you should understand that even though you're a 3+3, you're not at the "benign" end of the 3+3 spectrum.

This should be clearer with your say next two PSA tests. If the PSA is rising, its velocity should guide your course of action.

Thank you i think im having surgery

Given you're 55, the treatment, when indicated, I too would go for would be surgery. In fact, to put your mind at rest, I am 50 and in mid August had robotic surgery. I never would have considered radiation or hormone therapy. 

Best wishes.

How did it go for you

Barney

You indicated you would have never considered radiation for your treatment. I am curious why. Do you mind giving elobrating your reasons..I might be looking at radiation soon, if my PSA accelerates.

Thank,

Roger.

Roger,

Mine was Gleason 4+5. The pre-op biopsy and the PET scan both indicated the cancer was confined to the prostate. It was the urologist's opinion, and this made sense when I looked into it, that the best cure given my age would be radical surgery.

this is because the higher the Gleason score the more likely the anger will spread from where It is. Not to say a Gleason 9 will spread and a Gleason 6 would not, but that a 9 is more likely to spread sooner and further. Of course nobody knows how soon or how far.

anything other than surgery eg radiation would not be a definite treatment in my case and would certainly  require more treatment down the track .

greg43014,

Surgery and pathology apparently concluded that's the tumor was removed and that margins were clear, but my post surgery PSA doesn't agree with that.

for 10 days after surgery my stomach was bloated from the gas pumped into me so the urologist can visualise the contents of the abdomen. In time my stomach was  deflated.

catheter in place for a week..

seven days after surgery I was driving.

i went to pre surgery Pelvic floor exercises,but I wasn't buying what the physio was selling.

i was told by the urologist to wear pads in case I leak post surgery.

at the start I was in three moderate pass a day. Now two months on, I wear one light pad a day and the continenence is returning. Slowly.

sexual function also returning, slowly.

Thanks barney. I understand . Not all PCa are the same.

For further on this issue, I suggest you look for a discussion commenced by Mark Fastco 13 days ago entitled "One month after prostate surgery, good news and bad news".

In response  to my query in that discussion, ES 28567 wrote a long reply that very well explained HIFU, pros and cons as well as his views on when to have radiation. All types of radiation. In short if you're over 75 and as salvage therapy.

Rather than rehash what he wrote, I can think of no better way to get inform yourself quickly on the topic than by finding and reading his contribution.

Joe, you are very fortunate to have numbers such as yours. My thoughts are I would not consider another biopsy. Protocol or not, just my opinion.

I agree with roger. A one off spike is not as clear cut as say a rise over two consecutive PSA tests. I would not rush to a biopsy.

regarding biopsy, did you have and were you considering a trans perennial or trans rectal biopsy?

I forgot to clarify, the decision as to what therapy to take is not only a function of whether the PCa is thought to be confined to the prostate but also one's other illnesses if any and one's age. If one is thought to be young and that surgery could cure him of the cancer then surgery makes sense.