Opinions lads please

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User

Posted 03 Sep 2023 at 21:00

Anecdotal evidence is not really useful for drawing any definite conclusions. I know two friends, both similar age, similar diagnosis, both very fit with no other health issues, operated by the same consultant. sOne is very happy with it whereas the other one very much regrets his decision. Every case is different. Unless someone carries out a statistical study of a large number of cases it is not worth trying to make sense of pros and cons of any procedure.

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

User

Posted 03 Sep 2023 at 21:33

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Anecdotal evidence is not really useful for drawing any definite conclusions.

Definitely a true statement. There aren't a great deal of useful statistics published.

The following are more or less correct: 40,000 diagnosis per year, 12000 deaths per year are fairly useful figures. 98% five years survival even if you do nothing. 70% chance of cure(!) from first treatment.

Once you start asking percent continent etc. or bowel damage from RT, then you have to start defining continent, damage, etc. (I guess live or dead is easier to define). Anecdotal is useful if you can get enough anecdotes (from a random sample). It also gives people scenarios they can do thought experiments with, at least after reading your post on continence people can start to picture a whole range of scenarios they may have to live with (though with little idea of the probability of any scenario).

Dave

User

Posted 05 Sep 2023 at 12:29

A friend of mine is trying to choose a treatment and when I quoted '70% chance of cure from first treatment' he said 'which first treatment' and he added 'I don't want to be a part of the 30%' . How do you answer that? I remember someone saying:

'Sometimes you have to choose between a bunch of wrong choices and no right ones.

You just have to choose which wrong choice feels the least wrong'

This does doesn't help!!

'Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.' Richard Feynman (1918-1988) Nobel Prize laureate

User

Posted 30 Nov 2023 at 20:41

Just diagnosed and looking at all the options etc etc. I'm G2 and Gleason 7 (3+4). Must say thanks to all contributors on this thread. Interesting case studies, and will help me to make my decision, although my oncologist is urging me (gently) to go HT/RT. I am feeling OK about this, and also I am aware that too much investigative work on my options and side effects etc can be confusing and start heightening my anxiety levels! But great to know that there's a legion of us out there and I'm not alone!

User

Posted 30 Nov 2023 at 20:53

OldGraf, good luck. The published data suggests the HT/RT route and the prostatectomy route have rather similar outcomes. The caveat to those studies is that inevitably the patients were treated with the technologies 10 or so years ago, and things have moved on particularly in RT.

But also be aware of specialism bias, surgeons tend to favour surgery and oncologists favour drugs and RT. The important thing is feeling you are happy with the approach.

User

Posted 30 Nov 2023 at 21:38

I did a lot of research on various reputable sites, and there appeared to be very little difference in outcomes between surgery and RT.

I hate going to hospital and couldn't face the prospect of having to attend 35 times in seven weeks to be zapped.

At one stage, because of a heart condition, it seemed that surgery maybe too risky. " If you were my father I would recommend radiotherapy." said one consultant. "If you were my son you'd know what a stubborn old git I am, and I want surgery." I replied.

I fought my corner and was eventually deemed fit enough to have the operation.

I'm reasonably happy with the outcome. I doubt that anyone is thrilled to bits with whatever treatment option they chose.

Surgery or RT, is like being caught between a rock and a hard place and I suppose most of us would be very happy with a hard place.

Edited by member 30 Nov 2023 at 22:58 | Reason: Typo

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