Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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Prostaste cancer in the family

I'm a YANA member since 2002, and had an RP back in 2002, with no other treatment and my PSA averages between .1 and .2, and just went over 5-years back in June 2007.

I have a statement /question, at age 42 I had a PSA of 4.5 and a Gleason score of 3+3=6. My father was diagnosed at age 63 had radiation and is now 73, and my uncle was 73 when he was diagnosed and is still living.

At age 42, an RP is not an easy thing to go though, and I always wonder, based on my family trend, did I have a 10 to 15 year window to act upon? Are their any studies on this? There are studies based on your chances of having cancer based on family, how about the progression of cancer based upon family trends? Not that it matters to me now, but for others. I'm sure there are fathers thinking about their son's and the progression in which Prostate cancer will develop.

Re: Prostaste cancer in the family

G’day Jose,

I don’t think that there will be any long term studies on progression of disease in families. I say that because there are very few long term studies on progression and none that I know of in the US. The most well known long term study is a Swedish one, but that has no references to familial issues.

The median age for prostate cancer death has not changed significantly for many years and is still said to be 82/83 years old – in other words, half the men who die from prostate cancer are over this age and half are under. About 95% of the deaths are in men over 75 years of age.

With your numbers – and your familial experience - I’d say you’ve got a good chance of being in the upper half of survivors unless something else gets you first.

Terry

Re: Prostate cancer in the family

My brother and I are participating in study at the University of Michigan Cancer Center. Our Dad was dignosed with pc in 1995 at age 69. He died in 2000 but not from the cancer. My brother and I are 13 months apart in age and were diagnosed about a year apart in 2006 and 2007 respectively. Both age 56 at the time of diagnosis. We both ended up with the same surgeon at U of M and had the DaVinci robotic prostatectomy.

We have been interviewed about family and health history and have provided blood samples for DNA analysis. We also have three younger brothers who are approaching the age where they will be watching their psa numbers and getting checked regularly. The next youngest will be asked to join the study as well. He has experienced some problems and has been biopsied with no cancer shown yet.

My Dad had eight brothers and three sisters (all deceased) so we are trying to determine if any of our uncles/cousins had or have prostate cancer. It's kind of difficult as they are scattered all over the U.S.

It will be interesting to get the results of the study to see if can be determined if there is a genetic link to prostate cancer. Who knows, maybe it can lead to easier detection or even prevention?

Anyway, there is an ongoing study and hopefully it will be published while i am still walking this planet.

Mike Prusi,
living in Michigan's beautiful Upper Peninsula

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