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User

Posted 18 Jan 2018 at 01:52

Hi I am new to this forum.

A few weeks ago a friend was diagnosed with PC. So I decided to get checked. PSA was3.5, GP DRE was "abnormal" so referred to urologist. I am 69. After DRE urologist said "it's cancer" huge shock!

Had biopsy and it was confirmed by urologist , who arranged MRI.I am now awaiting MRI result and MDT recommendations.

For some strange reason I feel ok about it, perhaps I feel,thet It will not kill me.

Anyway, will soon have to make a decision about treatment, I assume i won't have to make a quick decision.

Wife has other problems so sex has not been possible for a while, no prob for me.So, should ED be not an issue for me.? Might it affect me in different ways? When I last spoke to consultant he said all treatment is on offer

On a very positve note, we like to travel and spend about 90 days out of the UK. I recently renewed our Annual Travel insurance policy , with Nationwide. Declared my problems, including the PC, and my wife's issues and we paid £250 for the year, which i tjought wasn't bad.

John

User

Posted 18 Jan 2018 at 09:30

Hello John and welcome to the site

Your PSA is low and since your consultant says all treatment options are open to you then presumably he also meant Active Surveillance.
(What was your Gleason score by the way)

If you go to Publications on this site you can download information on the various forms of treatment available.

As you appear to have time (non aggressive if all options open to you) then just research them all carefully.

Active Surveillance would mean that you could continue to live your life as it is but you would be carefuly monitored with PSA tests, occasional biopsy etc. Any change could be dealt with quickly but AS gives you breathing space.

Some men, when newly diagnosed, will go into the "get it out of me quickly" mode, others like yourself and my husband ( 73 at diagnosis) are more laid back.
Could you continue to live with the cancer inside you?

We are as we are so you are not odd, just you !

Good luck in whatever path you take., but do take your time making a decision.

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 21 Jan 2018 at 16:32

My Gleason was 3+3=6 (1out of 5) on left

3+4=7 (4 out if 5) on right

Cancer 7.2%

John

User

Posted 21 Jan 2018 at 20:03

Hi John, I am a bit older than you but my Gleason score is the same, my PSA is a bit higher. So we are in similar situations. When I was first diagnosed some months back I found things hard to understand and was worried. I can now understand a lot more and with knowledge comes a certain peace of mind. Your Gleason is low, many men have PCa with similar figures but never need to have treatment.

So try and relax a bit, ( easy to say :-) ) and do lots of research. I have opted for Active Surveillance for now, and will see how things go. We have time to consider our options, so we are, in a sense, two of the luckier ones.

There are some very knowledgeable people on here and no doubt they will be along to offer some advice.

John

Gleason 6 = 3+3 PSA 8.8 P. volume 48 cc Left Cores 3/3, Volume = 20% PSA 10.8 Feb '19 PSA 1.2

Jan '20 PSA 0.3 July '20 0.1 Jan. 21 < 0.1 Dec 21 <0.01 June '22 <0.01 April '23 <0.01

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 01:55

Thanks John,
A very encouraging reply, I have surprised myself about how relaxed I am about it all.
My meeting this morning with the urologist to discuss MRI will be a deciding factor.
When he mentioned "cancer" at our first meeting i was in shock, but i vaguely remembering he said he would cure me.
Anyway , after some research I realised that will be here next Xmas and can continue to buy green bananas😊 .
My friend has it much worse than i have, and he is so positive, so up beat, he is an inspiration to me.
My urologist has suggested "radical" treatment, surgery EBRT and the rest.
I am reluctant to have surgery, the operation doesnt worry me, but the after effects do.
I will post again later tiday after I have MRI results, and I have answers to my questions.
Thanks again.
John

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 10:55

Good idea to read the 'Toolkit' available from main part of this charity before making your treatment decision.

Barry

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 20:10

Saw Urologist this morning, good and bad news. Cancer is confined to the prostate, however, something showed up on the MRI on my right hip. Having bone scan in next week or so.I often have a pain in my right hip cos I have a corn on my foot, which makes me walk in a way to keep pressure off the corn.This transmits up my leg to my hip, causing hip pain.When I get my corn trimmed, I am walking properly again so hip pain disappears.
So, I am hoping what has shown up on the MRI is just 'wear and tear' on my hip.
Good news about the prostate though, still a biy worried about the results of the bone scan though.
Jihn

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 20:41

Good news/bad news indeed Barbel !!

It is more than possible for foot problem to cause a referred pain, I presently have exactly the same thing. Hopefully yours will be relatively simple like the corn.

Good luck with the scan. Keep us up to date with the result

We can't control the winds - but we can adjust our sails

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 22:20

Hi John,

I was in a very similar position, with slightly higher grades (PSa 9.6 T2c G4+3 and G3+4) at diagnosis 9 months ago, with bone pain and was given a bone scan.

Scan was clear. Just some age related degeneration. I’m 61 !

Hope this helps you through the wait, and your scan is clear.

User

Posted 22 Jan 2018 at 22:40

Thanks Graham, that is really helpful.My Urologist is a little dour and serious and lacks empathy, nice bloke, but is a bit doom and gloom.
I am so glad I have joined a couple of forums like this one.
Cheers
John

User

Posted 23 Jan 2018 at 18:44

Hi Barbel,

You have higher PSA than me just and with a 3+3 =6 Gleason (I am 3+4=7) i think you will have a few choices for treatment and plenty of time to think about it.(click on my Avatar for my journey).

Members on here have a wide of knowledge and i am sure they will give you some good advice.

I can only help you with Brachytherapy and i am 16 months on from treatment with PSA dropping well.

Good Luck John.

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