Bladder cancer link.

Hi Louis,

Sorry you join us because your husband has been diagnosed with PCa. Deciding on the best way forward can be a dilemma when only treatment to the Prostate is involved but addition treatment to the bladder complicates the choice. It seems to me from what you tell us that hubby would prefer not to have his bladder removed unless this was essential. It would seem that he could have just the Prostate removed or have RT instead but with curative objective. I assume he had surgery on his bladder and with the regular check ups there is no cancer in his bladder. If this is the situation it comes to either opting for surgery or RT bearing in mind not only the immediate effects but also side effects. A case could be made for and against either treatment. Should I be in this position I would incline towards surgery which would also enable RT to be used subsequently as thought appropriate to deal with any other residual or future cancer in the area. Opting for RT now could mean using the total permitted dose so no reserve to deal with any cancer in due course. Also, if RT was unsuccessful, subsequent removal of the Prostate is much more difficult and not many surgeons will attempt it. This is how I see it based on the very limited information provided and is not advice. Side effects of treatments have also to be taken into consideration and in this respect I suggest you obtain the 'Tool Kit' which details these and a lot of other useful information :- https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/our-publications/publications/tool-kit?_ga=2.206109653.795867346.1564408880-1013787081.1564408880

Edited by member 17 Jan 2020 at 02:43  | Reason: to highlight link

Thanks Andrew, prostate consultant didn't give a T number just said it was confined to prostate and not in bones. Gleason score 8. His bladder cancer was confined to lining and hadn't spread through walls. He had huge mass but this was scraped off over a few sessions and he was given Mitamycin washes. It recurred over the years but has been clear for a couple of years. He has coped very well with it but this prostate diagnosis has knocked him for 6! I think he's thinking he had won the battle with the bladder and now the prostate cancer jeopardises that. Sorry for the non medical jargon we don't have gradings etc as were a bit stunned at appointment and told to go away and decide what treatment he wanted to go for. He seems to have decided to go for surgery on prostate, leaving bladder and we see surgeon next week to discuss.

Thanks again

Louis B