Just more and more bad news

Hi Philip,  They often say you should take each stage when it comes as there are so many ups and downs, although it's easy to say things.   It's very unlikely to be your last Christmas though.

I always like to warn that I'm not an expert, but my opinion is this.

If it was me I'd ask them how confident they are of the result and if there is a more definitive test. Perhaps a psma scan.  It could be something else like inflamation.

If you have brachy to one side it means you still have a prostate that isn't effected on one side so a psa of 2 doesn't sound particularly high.  The rise to 2.8 is a warning but it doesn't sound like a lot considering you still have a protective prostate.   The rise to 10 in a short time is surprising although 10 by itself isn't that high a number as mine was 9.9 when I was diagnosed.  The rate of increase was perhaps the most telling.

There are people with much higher psa and they survive for years.   Firstly you may ask how many areas of spread are there.  If there are up to about 3 then they might be able to treat them separately with focal treatment or if they're close with one radiotherapy focus.  They might give you drugs before and after, such as hormones.   If that's not possible there are many drugs, hormones, chemo and others. Prostate chemo is said not to be as bad as other chemos although it isn't curative. 

This is unlikely to be your last Christmas, there are people who last for years.  They say it's better to take each stage as it comes and not worry about what hasn't happened as things are often different than you think. Although it's easy to say.   Keep us posted of how things are, Peter

Edited by member 03 Dec 2023 at 20:02  | Reason: Not specified

I had brachytherapy to just one side of my prostate as part of a trial in 2015. My psa went up to 2 a couple of times and I had MRI and PET scans which seemed ok at the time. In January this year a PET scan showed a small tumour on the untreated side. I was told it was safe just to watch it. In July my psa moved up to 2.8 - my consultant said that it was still ok to keep an eye on it and I could have more brachy early next year if needed. He then told me that I would not die of prostate cancer (very reassuring at the time) I had a psa in October which was 10 and repeated a few days later when it had risen again to 11! My consultant told me that brachytherapy was no longer possible and arranged for me to see a surgeon a few weeks later - he was confident that my prostate could be removed and made arrangements for the op. I had a pre-operative MRI last weekend and have just received a phone call from the specialist nurse to say that as the cancer has now spread to my lymph glands and bones it is too late to operate and they are arranging another PET scan just to see how bad things are. I now feel extremely anxious and scared and realise that this is now probably my last Christmas

Phil Ellis