Prostate cancer

[Scarlett]

My dad was diagnosed in 06....they took out his prostate and said it was contained.......Last 3 PSA counts were up...the last two doubled.....He has had the bone scan and it was ok...tomorrow gets results of nuclear scan....6.8 something on the PSA count. He is 72....kinda worried....

 

Anyone know---what now?

[Dobela]

:grouphug::grouphug: I don't know for sure. I do know though that 2 men in our church had test results much like your dad in about the same length of time after initial surgery. Last week one had a kidney removed because the returning cancer was found there. Fortunately it was all contained, but he does have a long recovery ahead of him. We are still waiting on the results for another.

[Peela]

My dad also had prostate cancer and is also 72 year old. He had it removed too, but it had spread to the bones a little. However the PSI has stayed fairly low-he has been on hormonal therapy. So far, the rate is staying fairly ok- not too high. He is kind of expecting it to rise at some point though, and need to go on more aggressive therapy. Meanwhile, he is working hard on keeping his diet healthy and getting plenty of physical exercise, and getting the most out of the time he has left- which could be many years, or not. He is very fit and healthy.

My mother's partner also has/had prostate cancer, is also 72, and didnt get it removed- it wasnt advised in his case for some reason. He went on hormone therapy, and he has been to a naturopath/herbalist to just give that a try too. Recently, they took him off ALL therapy because there is no sign of any problem left in his system. He has plenty of other issues- cripping arthritis for one...but no cancer.

72 is not so old these days. If it hasnt spread to his bones, he is lucky, nut in my dads case there are spots in his bones and he is still going strong.

I tihnk the advantage for both of these men is that neither have had strong chemo, so their own immune systems and ability to heal has kicked in to a large extent. Once you get on the chemo, it kills your own "health" mechanisms and often kills the patient.

Prostate cancer has a high survival rate. Many more die *with* prostate cancer, than die *from* it. SOo....it is a bit of a shock, but it can also be a reminder to enjoy every day as it comes.

[AuntieM]

DH had his prostate removed in December, with 3 subsequent PSA tests (immediately and at 3 month intervals) measuring virtually nothing. His urologist said that if there were any rise in levels, the first course of action would be to radiate the entire pelvic bed. That's because the PSA level increase can detect a recurrence while it is still too small to show up on a scan. The pelvic area is treated with the assumption that the cancer originated in that region and so that is the likely vicinity of the recurrence.

 

Of course, my husband is younger, age 45. He had stage 2, gleason 8 tumors fully contained in the prostate. Even being fully contained, he was given a rate of recurrence of 5% within 5 to 10 years.

 

Perhaps with older gentlemen, the course of action is to wait for several elevated PSA results? I am only guessing here, but I would expect them to order an MRI/nuclear imaging bone scan and CAT scan. Treatment would depend on where the recurrence is located, perhaps either radiation or chemotherapy.

 

ETA: Peela's post reminded me that hormone therapy is also an option. Prostate cancer is typically slow growing and many choose to live with it rather than treat it. For my dh, with an aggressive tumor at age 45, waiting around was not an option.

 

Please bear in mind that the info I am sharing here is based on what we were told by our urologist with regard to my husband's specific circumstances, and your loved one's case may be entirely different.

Edited August 5, 2010 by AuntieM

[MariannNOVA]

Thinking of you and your family - please let us know what happens.:grouphug:

[Scarlett]

He goes in today for the results of the nuclear scan that he had done on Monday. I am heading out the door this am to see my sister in Houston, so I will get the news as I am driving.

 

The info from others on this thread is consistant with my mom's research and a few comments the doctor has made. I just dread for him to have to have radiation and hope if he does it doesn't do any damage. He felt so fortunate to come out of the surgery as well as he did 4 years ago....

 

Auntie M that is so young! ((hugs)) Glad he is doing well.

 

He is healthy....stays very active, his weight is good, and he eats pretty healthily (except for too much sugar!).

 

I'll be back with news about it next week when I get back from Houston.

 

Thanks all.