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my last psa was 13 an the biopsy showed 2 cancer cells out of 16 needles he then did a bone scan that came back clear he then sent me to an oncologist who has recommened I start on hormone (Androcur) I am going to the uk on 1 to 23 August and when i get back i start radiotherapy and also take viagro or cialis 3 times a week any views please
august and when i get back i start on radio therapy
0 likes, 13 replies
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ES28567 john47646
Posted
Hi John,
Very sorry to hear about your diagnosis. The first thing you need to do is take a breath and slowdown when it comes to taking any action just yet. First, can you give a little more detail as to the grade you have? How much you have? Any symptoms you have?Why they want to start hormone therapy? And why they recommended that particular treatment vs. other available treatments.
Just so you know, doctors typically recommend what they are only familiar with. That doesn't mean they are wrong or bad. Its just what they are familiar with, and believe will solve you problem, and so that will be their recommendation. And in all fairness, they are probably right in that it will probably take care of your problem. But the treatment they recommend may not be your BEST option with the least side effects. Take this time on your trip to explore ALL the options available to you. If you have Gleason 6 and a very small amount of cancer, you more than likely have some time to do some research to see what will be you best long term solution. Many men hear the word cancer and immediately want it out as fast as possible. They do what the doctor recommends and then later discover that a less invasive or newer procedure that would have left them with a better quality of life. Warning...doctors will typically NOT discuss procedures they do not perform and usually even downplay any other options.
There is a wealth of information on this forum from real patients who have shared their experiences and will offer their thoughts to help you make an informed decision. Just remember the people here will also have their bias. But it will probably be based on what they experience.
It's YOUR body. Don't let the doctors make your decisions. Remember, you have to live with the end results, not the doctor. So, I cannot stress this enough...DO YOUR RESEARCH before you choose your path. And remember, the SKILL of the doctor will have a profound impact on the outcome of the procedure and the quality of rest of your life.
The more information you are willing to share, the better feedback you will receive on the forum. But don't share anything you are not comfortable with.
barney34567 john47646
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john47646 barney34567
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john47646
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ES28567 john47646
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John, you have not answered any of the questions I asked so it is difficult for anyone on the forum to reply to you. If you have Gleason 6 and only a small amount. You might even be able to take an active surveillance approach.
I would say, get the prescription filled and take it with you in case you want to start down that road. But don't start taking the pills until you are absolutely sure that is the course of action you want to take. Assuming your doctor didn't tell you that you only have 6 months to live or that the cancer has metastasized, use the time on you trip to research your options.
There are a lot of options out there and every man must choose which procedure is best for him. ALL procedures have there side effects and you must decide what is important to you and your quality of life.
Look up the hormone treatment your doctor is going to prescribe, READ about the possible side effects and decide if you are ok with them. Look up the procedure. Read (and watch videos) of the procedure. Read the possible/likely side effects on quality of life. Read the cure rate for 5,10,15 years (the longer the study the better the information) which are usually broken down into percentages.
The two procedures I think are the best right now are proton radiation therapy and HIFU. I am not a big fan of any type of radiation therapy because ultimately the radiation will catch up to you with side effects that are not reversible. However, many men are having Proton radiation therapy and the men I have talked to have been very happy with their decision with mild to no side effects and some of those men are approaching 12 to 15 years post procedure. None of the men I have talked with have regretted their decision. I think it has about an 82% cure rate after 10 years...but not positive on that. The big down side I see to any radiation treatment is it cooks the prostate and eliminates almost any follow up procedure if the cancer returns. You can still get a prostatectomy but it takes a highly skilled urologist (I think there are only a handful who will even do it) it's very messy, and the outcome for the patient is marginal.
The other option I like for prostate cancer (if contained in the prostate) is HUFU. This procedure is focal and only kills the cancer so the impact to quality of life is minimized. The biggest advantage I see to this procedure is that it is not radiation so if the cancer should return, the procedure can be repeated and all other procedures are still an option. As a matter of fact, as I understand it, HIFU is the only procedure (other than prostatectomy) that can still be performed after radiation treatment. The downside to HIFU is because it is focal, it is possible for not all the cancer to be killed. But that possibility is minimized by picking a skilled doctor who has done hundreds to thousands of these procedures. HIFU can also effect quality of life so look it up and decide for yourself it it is right for you.
There are other procedures so look them up.
DO YOUR RESEARCH!!!!
Whatever procedure you choose, it is a known fact that the results of the outcome (good or bad) are directly related to the amount of experience and skill of the Doctor. DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK your doctor how many procedures he has performed and the side effects his patients experience. DON'T BE AFRAID to get a second opinion (that is very common). ASK for the biopsy to be sent to a second lab to confirm the results and make sure the the lab technician specializes in prostate cancer.
Most importantly...
****DO YOUR HOMEWORK****
Lookup: Prostate cancer treatments.
Most of them will look pretty good until you dig down and see the side effects and how they will effect your "quality of life" (FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE).
There is no silver bullet. Every procedure has its advantages and disadvantages. I have given you my opinion and my opinion is only right for me.
Look at ALL your options. Then, you must decide from which cup to drink. But don't just drink from the first cup your Doctor hands you.
john47646 ES28567
Posted
Hi ES Thanks for your advice. My gleeson score is 8. I asked the Oncologist about the watch and wait and he said I was at the intermrdiate level and the rsdio therapy is my best option if I was older with a shorter life expectancy he would look at the wait and watch. He said starting rhe hormone treatment 4 weeks before radiation will be beneficial. I pick up the prescription tomorrow but I have an appt with my gp on saturday so will talk to him about it. I was also interested in the urine test they do to check for prostate cancer but they don't do it in Australia any more, where the blood psa tests can be high because od an infection or enlarged prostate the urine test just looks for cancer, They do it in the UK so I might enquire about that over there. I have 2 friends one had radio therapy about 3 years ago and is fine I don't know if he had the hormone treatment the other had his prostate removed about 6 weeks ago. So the discision is hard to make. I cant find any info on HUFU, what is it. Thanks for you interest I really appreciate it. Regards John
ES28567 john47646
Posted
Ok, I would agree that with Gleason 8 you need to take some action. I don't think you are a candidate for HIFU. But check into proton therapy. Sometimes they also require hormone therapy so you have some time on your trip to read up on this procedure. Good luck to you.
john47646 ES28567
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barney34567 john47646
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with Gleason 8 or more, surgery I understand is offered if it is believed the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate. What is your TNM? Have you done the PSMA PET scan which shows if nearby organs and glands have been invaded in a big way. In a microscopic way this scan will not show the cancer invading.
ES correctly says you must research the pros and cons of all options. Were you told how long you will need to be on hormone therapy after the radiation? This is vital to know because you will not be on it just until the radiation. The idea behind hormone therapy is to turn your testosterone OFF so as to make the job of radiation easier and to shrink the prostate.
usually folk are on hormone from 6 mths al the way to 3 yrs.
how old are you?
john47646 barney34567
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barney34567 john47646
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As mentioned, the PSMA scan will show or more correctly, do its best to show, if the cancer has spread. I think such a scan is wise before any treatment.
barney34567 john47646
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I agree with ES. I think you're a candidate for surgery, IMRT or proton.
mellysmell john47646
Posted
I am also curious why they want you to do hormone therapy? Unless you have aggresive cancer usually just the radiation therapy is recommended. Please be aware of the side affects of the hormone therapy as they can be life changing. Hot flashes, muscle loss, weight gain around the mid section, genital shrinkage (which means you might need to sit to urinate), definite erectile dysfunction and viagra and cialis will not work as hormone therapy affects libido. At least these have been the side affects my husband has experienced. It's been life changing!