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User
Posted 23 May 2017 at 22:29
Hi

Today my husband was told he has Prostrate cancer. His Gleason Score was 7 and grade 2. It all seems overwhelming to us at the moment and hasn't quite sunk in. The consultant has advised 'active surveillance '' he also said we could go down the radiation treatment or surgery but got the feeling he thought this may be something to do as and when needed. We have a month before his next consultation to mull it all over and wondered if anyone can offer any advise.

Many thanks

User
Posted 24 May 2017 at 02:10

Hi Pinklady,

It is widely thought that many men treated for PCa are treated too soon, thereby risking potential side effects which could have been deferred for a time and in some cases indefinitely by being on Active Surveillance. It is of course most important that AS is carefully adopted and should cancer become more of a problem that treatment be given in good time. It seems from the little we are told that your husband's PCa is at an early stage and the consultants feel AS would be suitable. This should be discussed with them. On the other hand, some men don't like the idea of cancer growing in them and want to be more proactive in getting it treated. Certainly, timely treatment gives the best chance of it being successful in beating the cancer but risks early adverse side effects.

If you have not done so yet, I would recommend you obtain the 'Toolkit' from the publications section of this charity.


Barry
User
Posted 24 May 2017 at 08:20

Hello Pink lady and welcome

As Barry said really.
Just out of curiosity when you say your husband's PSA was 7 is that 3+4 or 4+3. It might not seem much of a difference to you since it still totals 7 but the first figure is slightly more important than the second.

Having said that, 7 is not a bad figure to have in the scheme of things and your team are obviously of the opinion the AS is suitable for your husband.

My advice? Take the AS, as least for a while. Don't rush into anything without knowing what the possible side effects will be.

There may come a time when a decision on treatment has to be made but for now, since you do appear to have time on your side, take it slowly.

Whatever route you take, you have to live with the consequence. A knee jerk reaction of "get it out" is understandable, but may not be the best bet in the long run.

If he is suitable for AS then he will be suitable for a lot of other treatments ie Brachytherapy.

My husband had a year on AS before we made a choice.

Take it slowly for now. Make sure that if you do go the AS route that you get all the checks and appointments you need,including regular PSA tests (which w do through our GP, certainly in the early stages)

Good luck and best Wishes

Sandra

***

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 24 May 2017 at 08:28

Hi Pinklady,

We was, where you are this time last year, gleason score 3+3=6, PSA 6.6 and now 10.2, my husband choose the active surveillance route, which gave us time to think and not rush into anything, for the most part of the year we have managed to put it to the back of our minds and carry on with our life as normal. My husband has not lost a night sleep as that is the way he is I however had a few wobbles to start with, after having am MRI scan last month and talking over it with our consultant he is now booked in for surgery next week. As Barry has said get the 'Toolkit"we found it very useful.

Lynda

User
Posted 24 May 2017 at 22:28

Hi Pinklady,

My husband (age 53) was given the same choices for his Gleason 6 (3+3) with a PSA of 3.56. Our urologist recommended surgery but that was bottom of our list of preferences. Everyone has there own, very varied, views.

We have opted for a focal treatment abroad but would have chosen active surveillance from the options given.

I found this very interesting from the main site

3: Reassuring results for active surveillance

Men with low-risk prostate cancer can be offered active surveillance, surgery or radiotherapy – but which is the right choice? Active surveillance offers the potential to avoid or delay the side effects from the other treatments, but many men worry that it could leave them at risk of their cancer spreading. The ProtecT trial randomly assigned each of the three treatments to 1,600 men and followed their health for the next ten years. They found there was no real difference to the ten-year survival rate between the options, which should give men greater confidence in active surveillance.

https://prostatecanceruk.org/about-us/news-and-views/2016/9/long-term-study-shows-active-surveillance-offers-same-10-year-survival-rate-as-radiotherapy-or-surgery

It was published in December 2016 which is when my husband got his diagnosis.

Having not had a radical treatment my husband still needs a active surveillance protocol and is due a MpMRI scan plus PSA test at the end of June (3 months after his focal procedure).

Good luck

Clare

 
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