Bone scan next week

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User

Posted 24 Jun 2016 at 13:42

Dad has received an appointment for his bone scan next week after being told on Tuesday he has prostate cancer gleeson 9 in lymph nodes and very likely bones too as he has been in so much pain. Can anyone tell me if having it in lymph nodes as well as bones why it's called aggressive or is aggressive the Gleason score and if it's aggressive can it still be slowed down?

So many questions racing around in my head. Any comments gratefully received.

Seems along time to wait till next Wednesday as they said they wanted to start on hormone tablets and injections straight away I know there busy but just want to start fighting this.

Manda X

User

Posted 24 Jun 2016 at 14:14

Aggressive doesn't necessarily mean what it sounds like. Prostate cancer can be described as 'aggressive' if the Gleason score is 8 or more, if either of the two Gleason grades is a 5 (ie 4+5, 5+3, 3+5), if the staging is T3 or above, or if the PSA doubling time is very short. Some doctors use 'high risk' rather than 'aggressive'. In practice, it means that the man isn't suitable for active surveillance and needs to have treatment - what treatment will be available depends on things like whether it is contained or has spread, and any other medical conditions he has. We had a member here recently reporting that he was diagnosed with an aggressive PCa but the tumour was still tiny and so all treatments were available.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 28 Jun 2016 at 22:06

Hi manda

My dad too was told his cancer is aggressive. His Gleason score is 9 and all 13 sections of his biopsy were cancerous. He was started on hormones straight away and has already had a drop in his psa, so that's a good sign. The hormones should stop the cancer growing. It needs testosterone to grow but the hormones stop his body producing this. I think most men respond well to the hormones so fingers crossed for your dad.

I hope it's good news for your dad tomorrow xx

User

Posted 29 Jun 2016 at 05:52

hi manda like most of us you want answers know and not next week
but until all the tests have been performed and results gathered its a waiting game
their will be options to help dad to slow his progression, HT being as they say the GOLD standard, we all know the worry and anxiety you have, but as lynn says wait for dads staging you may need to ask for it, their is lots of info on staging on the main site

http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/getting-diagnosed/staging

regards
nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

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