I have recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Working through treatment options and Doctor visits.

Looks like surgery is in the near future.

Any advice from those who have dealt with it.

Wish you the best my friend.

Treatment options depends greatly on the stage at the time of diagnosis, especially the Gleason score as well as age. Surgery is always an option but not the best one for early stage disease. Mine was caught early and I had external beam radiation. Minimal side effects during treatment and essentially no long term side effects. That was 7 years ago and I’m cancer free as best the doctors can tell. I’m 75…

When I was diagnosed 18 years ago, I was only 50 years old. Mine was a Gleason score 7 and contained in the gland, early stage. The recommendation was surgery. It was done at John's Hopkins in Baltimore. I have been clear every year since. There are newer options now as jdollar points out. Most surgery is done robotically and is minimally invasive. I've heard very good outcomes from the external radiation too. Good luck.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Treatment options depends greatly on the stage at the time of diagnosis, especially the Gleason score as well as age. Surgery is always an option but not the best one for early-stage disease. Mine was caught early and I had external beam radiation. Minimal side effects during treatment and essentially no long-term side effects. That was 7 years ago and I’m cancer free as best the doctors can tell. I’m 75…

Every time I have the "rotissary chicken" event, they remove pollyps.

I call it rotisserie chicken because you have a camera up your ass and in your mouth.

I have never been awake for it, so I don't know if they use the same camera or not. If it tasted like shit, I would know.

I always tell this joke when I go in and they laugh at me when I wake up.

Check out a procedure involving hi intensity ultrasound treatment... worked for me..

Wishing you well!

There’s a urology clinic in Austin where you will likely not see the doctor who runs it, but one of several knockout female nurse practitioners. The last time I was there, she said she needed to check my prostate. I asked “Is it Friday already?”. She didn’t get the reference, so I explained it. She laughed her ass off and even made jokes. A real icebreaker, I guess.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eUL9XgE3G4k

I am a retired military guy, so it is either an active duty hospital where everyone is woke. Or the VA where everyone is woke, and old.

I have seen one attractive nurse in the past 10 years.

I had Proton Radiation treatments at MD Anderson in Houston. Other than 30 minutes start to finish sessions five days a week it was walk in the park.

I second Lawdog's opinion of Proton Therapy. Find the best treatment available in your area and hit it hard.

A friend of mine from North Texas lived for almost six months in the MD Anderson parking lot in Houston. Almost lost him, but he's stronger than ever now and hunting in Louisiana this past week, and playing golf.

My brother went the proton therapy route as well. He's been clean for five years now. His Gleason was 4+3=7.

I have an MRI-Fusion Biopsy coming in about a month.

Good luck with the biopsy.

P. Dog, wishing and yeah, even praying for a great outcome for you. My best friend just went through this with with chemo and radiation at the Fred Hutchinson Center in Seattle and seems to be good as new.
My worries about having a TURP for BPH before long are nothing compared to yours.

Hey, Bill
I just went through a laser prostatectomy for BPH one week ago today. Similar to the old TURP, but with a laser. Not fun, not fun at all. But as you say, it pales in comparison to the various cancer treatments. You'll be fine.

Well wishes to you, P Dog, and hopes for a positive outcome.

Had a prostate biopsy a few years ago and the very last core taken showed cancer at a very low level. My urologist monitors my PSA from regular blood tests. He doesn't want to do anything until any PSA levels change or cause concern. Then, it would be another biopsy and maybe surgery to remove the prostate.
Some time ago I had laser prostatectomy for old man prostate problems. No fun but in time one comes right and it sure allowed me to pee properly again.

Wishing you best of luck p dog.

Next appointment is the 24th will have more info then

quote:

Originally posted by jdollar:
Treatment options depends greatly on the stage at the time of diagnosis, especially the Gleason score as well as age. Surgery is always an option but not the best one for early stage disease. Mine was caught early and I had external beam radiation. Minimal side effects during treatment and essentially no long term side effects. That was 7 years ago and I’m cancer free as best the doctors can tell. I’m 75…

x2, mine was caught early and qualified for Brachytherapy, day trip in the hospital, over and done. My doctor was on the ball and had me do an annual PSA test, lucky for me, Buddy not so, he's got a very poor prognosis.

There is no one size fits all answer.

See the best doctors you can, get your options, and choose what works for you.

There are no guarantees, but a center (Mayo, MD Anderson, etc.) that does a lot of them generally gets better results than a smaller hospital.

P dog good luck! Find a doctor and facility you are comfortable with. There are a number of treatment choices. My mother's three brothers have all had prostate cancer. In 2019 I had elevated PSA and a suspicious biopsy result. I was scheduled for a MRI fusion biopsy but the MRI was negative. I had a regular biopsy with heavy sampling of the suspicious region. It too was negative. I never had a discussion about treatment options with my uroncologist.

A week after the second biopsy I was diagnosed with skin cancer for the second time. It was caught early and only required surgery. Early detection is the key to more choices and better outcomes.

Tom

Good luck today PD.shooter

I had it, cured now.

Had a blood test, Dr sent me to the emergency room the next day, I did not have a clue.

So, 6 days in hospital getting blood sugar and kidneys back in order, kidneys were failing.

After hospital, Eligard injections. Man. those shots felt like a giant yellowjacket sting!

Then off to the Dr for biopsy. 4 of 12 samples showed cancer. Then back for inserting 4 of the gold targets in the prostate. For the Radiation machine to line up on.

Radiation treatment for 5 weeks, every day on the table. 15 minute zap job of radiation.

Then some prostate surgery to relieve the pressure on the urethra. All this time wearing a catheter so I could pee, had a tube in with a leg bag on for 7 months.

This was all of last year.

Now all cancer is basically gone, and things are working as they should. Still taking Eligard shots once a month.

About as close to dying as I have been. Dr said if the blood test had been one day later, I would have died from kidney failure. When I was in the hospital over 3 liters of vile dark smelly junk was drained from my bladder.

Get in early guys and have that prostate checked out!!!

I had a total of 4 biopsies 2 of which were MRI fusion biopsies. I was on Active Surveillance after the second one came up positive - 3+3=6.
June, 2 years ago my PSA went nuts and my final MRI fusion biopsy showed a doubling of the lesion. Dr. told me that something is going on that can't be seen. I had a genetic test on the last biopsy samples. It was not promising.
I had a Radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci robot November 1, 2021. My Dr. is the head of robotic surgery and has thousands of operations under his belt.
I had no pain, was up walking with a catheter soon after the surgery and walked 2 miles the next day.
Dr. had me go through Stress Incontinence physical therapy. It really helped me. I still use a light pad for incontinence accidents. I leak 1-3 Grams/cc per 24 hours and I am dry at night and have been for well over a year. Some weeks I am completely dry.
My pathology report came back as a 3+4=7. Everything was contained in the capsule with clean margins and all my PSA tests have been undetectable.
Everyone is different. Find the best Dr./surgeon. Do your Kegel exercises as soon as the catheter is removed. Things will get better, it just takes time and work.