likely to have PC

Thanks, Chris, I quite understand what you are explaining above.
I wonder why the surgeon didn't mention adjuvant RT. I can see it is likely to be neccesary. Or maybe he'll mention it at next appointemnt before surgery.

I know I must be prepared for everything.

Regards,

Lola.

No Lola, you are letting your imagination run wild ... based on the current information it is not likely that Paco will need adjuvant RT. Remember that when you first gave us the results of the MRI we couldn't tell whether it translated as 'evidence of minimal extraprostatic extension' or 'minimal evidence of extraprostatic extension' which mean different things.

In the UK, when the prostate is removed it is encased in a wax block by the pathologist. The wax block is then sliced very very thinly so that each thin layer of the prostate can be inspected closely. If any cancer cells are touching the wax edge it is called a positive margin because it means that there is a possibility that some cancer cells were also left inside the man. Some men who have a positive margin don't have any further problems and their PSA stays nice and low. Some men have adjuvant RT because the wax slice shows that cancer cells were definitely left behind in the man. Some men (like my husband) have positive margins but wait to see whether the PSA goes up and if it does they have salvage RT 2 or 3 or 5 or more years later.

Some hospitals in the UK send a bit of the prostate to the pathologist during the operation to help the surgeon check for margins - I think they also do this in some European hospitals. You could ask the specialist whether they do that in Spain but don't assume that Paco will need further treatment as everything you have been told so far indicates that it is a very small tumour.

Well, we are already I'm Madrid. Counting down to the next Tuesday.

Everything is ready for OH prostate removal.

Appointment and talking with surgeon yesterday. I asked him why he had never mentioned RT or any other treatment after op. He said his expectations are to solve the issue just by surgery but in case the PCa was upgraded from post op biopsy, maybe low dose RT. We will see.

He also said Paco would stay all night at UCI and that two bags of blood were ready just in case. It all sounds scaring, but I understand this is the usual way the procedure goes.

Crossing fingers and trying to enjoy family here during the previous days .

Lola

It seems to be different.

The consultant said after surgery Paco would be taken onto " some kind of ICU" that they have for resuscitation" (is this word correct? It sounds awful :( )

He also said I could see him for a while and then I'd rather go home, but i wouldn't like to be absent on his coming back to his bedroom.

To be honest it results to me a bit strange him staying the whole night in that place.

I hope more information will be provided.

Thanks for your help.

Best wishes

Lola

I guess it must be something like that, Chris. Some place we call «reanimación»

My sisters and my brothers in law are concerned about the operation and they are traveling to join us. And my children, of course. I'm happy I'm not going to be alone.

Thanks to the three of you for helping.

Lola

Julie, that's very clarifying to me. Thanks.

I was told he would stay at recovery room all night long.

Surgery will start at about 16:00. It will be finished at 20:00 or so, I reckon. Maybe they want Paco at recovery room as it will be night and in case of any problem, the ward staff is reduced during the night?

Or maybe because he's 68 or whatever...

The surgeon said I'd rather go home but I'd like to stay in the room as it is possible since we are going on private insurance , not on the "Seguridad Social". But my daughter and sisters don't want me to, so I'll go back to the hospital very early in the morning.

How is OH doing?

My regards,

Lola

Thanks, Pablo.
Tuesday will be am important day in our lives as it was 30 years ago when his left kidney was removed because of the same issue. Cancer twice. Despite all, I don't think we are entitled to complain.

Un abrazo grande desde Madrid

Lola.

Hi Lola
Very stressful for you but well done hanging in there !! I was in hospital 14 nights mainly because my drain was quite excessive ( I had 18 lymph nodes removed ) , and then it got infected around the tube into my body. Oh and I threatened to throw myself out of a window because my bipolar meds were withdrawn overnight , but that's a different story. I hope so much your results are clear x

Hi there,

OH has been discharged this morning. Not really feeling too poorly, but awaiting for final biopsy results is not an easy matter to deal with.

He is not so pesimistic as I am,

I am devastated, really scared by reading the discharge report.

I'll try to translate it the best I can.

Carcinoma 4+3 Gleason (high risk) (I thought G 7 was medium risk)

"Radical postatectomy",

"bilateral lymph nodes removal",

and a scaring word that is new to me. I don't know how to translate it.... "amplified", "extended". ("Ampliada" in Spanish) referring to prostatectomy.

"Awaiting for final histopathology results".

I'am afraid it all sounds really scaring, doesn't it?

The, uro had told us not to worry, but after having read this paper I am in panic.

Best wishes,

Lola.

In Spanish "prostatectomía radical ampliada", something like "radical increased prostatectomy"

Hi all.

My husband had da Vinci 8 days ago. (tuesday). He was discharged on the last Sunday, 5 days after.

His drain catheter was removed.

Today, eight days after surgery, still leaking clean and not stinky fluid . Is this something we must worry about?

In emergency, he's was said it was normal as far as it was clean fluid, but it seems to be a big amount of fluid.

Information and advice would be appreciated
We are considering the fact of going to emergency again.

Thanks in advance

Lola

Good morning there.

Thinking of Eleanor and OH.

Now that I've been in this site from February I am concerned about all of you as if we are a great family helping each other.

The news hasn't been good lately here and it makes me feel sad.

As Paco is concerned, he is still feeling poorly in pain. The catheter is supposed to be removed on the next Tuesday. I haven't told him how painful the procedure is, according to want I have read here.

The pathology results will also be told to us that day but we feel more calm now that a friend of mine who is a consultant at a different hospital has got to know from her colleague at our hospital that the tumor was not spread. Anyway expecting for the appointment in three days.

Looking forward to coming back home and see my garden, my dog and everything there.

Best wishes to all,

Lola

Hi all,

Yesterday Paco had his first appointment with uro after operation.

The pathology results quite good :) Tumor contained inside the prostate. pT2a.

We were told that in some hospitals OH would be offered low RT since, despite being a contained tumor it's 4+3=7 Gleason, but not in that hospital and in his opinion. Frequent PSA tests and if under 0,4 (hope I got it right), no problem.

There is something in the biopsy I didn't like: perineural invasion. However the consultant didn't seem worried about it. Said it was much usual in this kind of tumors, do you know st about it? I've been googling but nothing clarifying found. Anyway, the uro said it was ok and, as Lyn says, I must beieve doctors and not let my imagination and fears fly.

No pain when catheter and stitches removed. Actually, as I had been said on here by some friends, he felt a great relief.

Almost continent first day.

PSA test in six weeks time and nwe appointment with uro.

Does it all sound correct to you?

We are happy we chose this nice and experienced surgeon. And a great hospital too, in Madrid.

Thanks to all of you for the support you have been giving me during these hard period. I'll continue to update and, as far as I am able, to help others with the experience now I have got.

Best wishes,

Lola.

It would depend on the rest of the phrase Lola. Does it say "there was no sign of perineural invasion" or "there were signs of perineural invasion" or "the perineural invasion was extensive"? As you can understand we can't tell you what it means without you telling us the context.