Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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Re: Positive Margin.

Its going to be good; don't worry.

Re: Positive Margin.

My positive margin in July 07 was at the posterior margin of left mid-prostate. I really don't know anything about the significance of the location. I elected to follow up with adjuvant radiation, starting in late October. My post surgery PSA readings came in at 0.1, prior to the radiation.

Re: Positive Margin.

Lee:
I do not qualify on the margin standpoint. I think you would be interested in the Phase III Clinical trial called SWOG 8794. You can google it. This was by some of the top urologists in North America and meets the standards of the most strict scientific qualification for a randomized trial. They found that adjuvant radiation (within 90 days of surgery) or as soon as patient recovery will allow, delayed recurrence, and reduced recurrence, all to a statistically significant degree. They recommend this be the standard of care for men with "adverse pathological characteristics". If this includes you, discuss this with a radiologist and others on your care team.

Re: Re: Positive Margin.

I second JohnC's suggestion to read SWOG 8794. That study was the largest factor in my decision to go forward with adjuvant radiation.

Re: Positive Margin.

Well, I got my first post op results today. Another good news bad news day, although mostly good. My PSA was <.01 and my recovery is still going well. Using 2 pads per day. Still have ED issues so my doctor gave me a prescription for Viagra to be taken 3 times per week. The bad news is, the cancer was present on the edge of the prostate next the neck of the bladder. They got as close as they could without damage to the bladder. I will need to monitor my PSA monthly. He does not want to start radiation treatments at this time because of the continence and ED issues. He wants to give the verves as much time as possible to heal. If the PSA starts to rise, then we will look at radiation. They are doing a clinical study with pomegranate juice. I also read about the study with Vitamin D3 on this site. I may try one or both of those. The other bad news was that my cure rate went from 90% to 20% according to my doctor. All in all we are still upbeat and will continue living each day as it comes.

Re: Positive Margin.

Hi Lee,

Thanks for the update and don't let pessimists get you down. Man, I wish these doctors would stop throwing figures at you such as "Down to 20% cure rate".

As far as I'm aware, the word cure is never used in regard to prosate cancer. I was told I had 2 or 3 years left to live because of the seriousness of the tumour. Well it's now 3 years since they said that and I've never felt better and fully intend to be here for a long long time.

They delight in scaring the hell out of ya! Just carry on fighting, be stubborn, and get fully involved in your treatment plan. Knowledge of our illness gives us power over it, and you'll learn more on sites like this than you ever will from your urologists and oncologists.

I say Thank God for the internet. Without it I for one might have blindly followed doctors' advice and feared their damning verdicts.
Onwards and upwards, Lee!

Good Luck and Best wishes,


George,

England

Re: Positive Margin.

Lee,

On the ED issue, my surgeon (had open RP a year ago) prescribed 25mg of viagra 1 hour before bedtime daily and 100mg around once a week with "exercise" (although he said there was no problem with exercising more often). The 25mg is to keep blood flowing into the region while you sleep, which is believed to aid in recovery.

Dan

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