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Active Surveillance gleason 6

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User
Posted 09 Aug 2017 at 21:03

Hi, my husband has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer at 48 years old. A bit of history... he went for a PSA test because his Dad had prostate cancer 2 years ago at 76 which was agressive by the time they found it. He has since successfully responded to radiotherapy and is still on hormone treatment and currently at 0 PSA. Mart had a PSA of 2.8 which was high for his age so they did a second PSA which was 2.9. He had an MRI which didn't show any cancerous areas on it and was asked if he wanted to go ahead with the biopsy, the consultant didn't think it was really necessary, however as he was ready to have it and because of his Dad's history he did. Unfortunately that came back as positive in one of the 12 cores at less than 5% and a gleason score of 6. It was explained to us that Mart is a good candidate for Active Surveillance, he is quite happy to follow this route at the moment. We are meeting a surgeon and radiologist next week at the hospital just to really discuss treatment options should it become necessary with a rising PSA. It all makes me a bit nervous I must say and I have days when I really worry about it spreading, but we were assured it would not spread or get worse that quickly that treatment would still be a safe option. I am just wondering if there are any of you in a similar situation on here with positive stories of AS that could put my mind at rest. I fully understand Mart not wanting to deal with potential side effects of treatment at his age, but leaving cancer seems such a weird thing for me and I have read stories of people leaving treatment too late on other forums. Thanks for listening Emma

User
Posted 10 Aug 2017 at 07:01

Hi Emma, welcome to this site, I know that you would rather not be here, but since I found out my husband has PC I have found it very informative, friendly and very helpful.  Download the toolkit from the site I found it very good. My OH was 54 when he was diagnosed with PC, he choose to do AS for over a year, where he was closely monitored, unfortunately with his PSA continuing to rise and a result of a MRI scan he choose to have surgery 10 weeks ago, recovery has gone well now back to work and his last PSA test came back undetectable.  I found it very difficult to cope at the beginning of our journey and still get anxious when a PSA test is due but have now managed to put it to the back of my mind and enjoy life.  Click on my bio and their is our journey so far with PC, please feel free to ask me any question.  Best wishes Lynda

User
Posted 10 Aug 2017 at 07:08

Hello Emma and welcome to the site

My husband also went on AS for a year at the end of which his PSA had crept up a bit so when he was 72 it was decided to go for low dose brachytherapy.

Mart hasn't reached that stage yet and at 48 I think he is wise to leave things as they are until such time as a decision needs to be made.

During AS he will be under the hospital's care and as soon as there is change the will know. They obviously agree that he is suitable for AS.

Try and relax about it. Hard to do I know but at this stage of your lives you need to be getting on and enjoying it.

If Mart is a good candidate for AS then he will also be a good candidate for most of the treatments currently available and AS gives you both time to assess your lives and what you want to get out of it .

I suppose what I'm saying is Don't Panic. Just because the word is cancer doesn't mean it's the end of your world.

Keep posting if it helps you come to terms with the situation, but I'm sure as that as time goes on you will relax about it all.

Best Wishes

Sandra

***

Edited by member 10 Aug 2017 at 07:10  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 19 Sep 2017 at 10:27

Hi

I'm a bloke 

In active surveillance for 3 years as relatively young- 60

PSA rising every quarter and last week jumped to 14.5 and my urologist thinks its time for radical treatment.  But this is an over treated disease historically.

All I would say is that there is no definite PSA level at which to panic and opt for radical treatment; no consultant I've spoken to can produce any evidence.  So the risk is it escaping into lymph or bladder.  But everything I've been told is that its slow moving so the MRI should help a lot.  

Advice- dangerous from a layman.  Is insist on annual MRI

BW

ChrisW

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User
Posted 10 Aug 2017 at 07:01

Hi Emma, welcome to this site, I know that you would rather not be here, but since I found out my husband has PC I have found it very informative, friendly and very helpful.  Download the toolkit from the site I found it very good. My OH was 54 when he was diagnosed with PC, he choose to do AS for over a year, where he was closely monitored, unfortunately with his PSA continuing to rise and a result of a MRI scan he choose to have surgery 10 weeks ago, recovery has gone well now back to work and his last PSA test came back undetectable.  I found it very difficult to cope at the beginning of our journey and still get anxious when a PSA test is due but have now managed to put it to the back of my mind and enjoy life.  Click on my bio and their is our journey so far with PC, please feel free to ask me any question.  Best wishes Lynda

User
Posted 10 Aug 2017 at 07:08

Hello Emma and welcome to the site

My husband also went on AS for a year at the end of which his PSA had crept up a bit so when he was 72 it was decided to go for low dose brachytherapy.

Mart hasn't reached that stage yet and at 48 I think he is wise to leave things as they are until such time as a decision needs to be made.

During AS he will be under the hospital's care and as soon as there is change the will know. They obviously agree that he is suitable for AS.

Try and relax about it. Hard to do I know but at this stage of your lives you need to be getting on and enjoying it.

If Mart is a good candidate for AS then he will also be a good candidate for most of the treatments currently available and AS gives you both time to assess your lives and what you want to get out of it .

I suppose what I'm saying is Don't Panic. Just because the word is cancer doesn't mean it's the end of your world.

Keep posting if it helps you come to terms with the situation, but I'm sure as that as time goes on you will relax about it all.

Best Wishes

Sandra

***

Edited by member 10 Aug 2017 at 07:10  | Reason: Not specified

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails
User
Posted 22 Aug 2017 at 10:52

Thanks Lynda, really appreciate you taking the time to reply. I hope your husband is doing well. We had a good meeting with a surgeon and radiologist last week and they all seemed to think that AS was the right course of action so I feel a lot calmer since then.

User
Posted 22 Aug 2017 at 10:53

Thanks Sandra, really appreciate your reply http://community.prostatecanceruk.org/editors/tiny_mce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif

User
Posted 19 Sep 2017 at 10:27

Hi

I'm a bloke 

In active surveillance for 3 years as relatively young- 60

PSA rising every quarter and last week jumped to 14.5 and my urologist thinks its time for radical treatment.  But this is an over treated disease historically.

All I would say is that there is no definite PSA level at which to panic and opt for radical treatment; no consultant I've spoken to can produce any evidence.  So the risk is it escaping into lymph or bladder.  But everything I've been told is that its slow moving so the MRI should help a lot.  

Advice- dangerous from a layman.  Is insist on annual MRI

BW

ChrisW

User
Posted 19 Sep 2017 at 17:12

Emma, your husband has the least amount of PCa that it is possible to have. Less than one core is zero. If there is a genetic disposition to the disease, it is very good news to have identified it so early, before it can cause any harm. I advise you to get on with your lives, put this in the background, make sure you both stay fit and healthy and await any developments, of which there may be none!

Good Luck

AC

 
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