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Terry,
I have just read Trueman's update. That great news is tempered now with awful sadness about the tragic loss of Trueman's youngest son.
Trueman's story was the spur which got me fighting my bad prognosis, and my wife and I have constantly re-read that story of his journey against seemingly impossible odds.
Our thoughts are now with Trueman and his family that they may all find comfort and peace.
We are deeply sad at heart to read of his loss.
Just to follow up my original concern. I dont think I was clear. Forgive me for I am a little excited. My first concern is not the PSA but the amount of cancerous tissue found on the biopsy. Margin for error to the postive and all. 1% of one core does not seem a lot. If they found cancer, is it likely that its accurate or likely to be more. My biggest fear is to having the surgery and they say ooopss No cancer. My original Doc is the weakest link. I dropped him like a hot rock. All my further opinions were by very good Doc's all base their treatment on this Biopsy done in an office with crude if you will environment.
Sorry we didn't answer your original concerns adequately, Frank.
Can I suggest you read two bits by PCa author and activist Donna Pogliano. The first was in response to a man with a very similar diagnosis to yours and it can be found at http://www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za/oo.html
Never one to mince words she opens up with this little salvo From what I'm reading here, you're thinking of undergoing local treatment for one silly millimeter of prostate cancer?
If what you posted about your situation is correctly stated, this is what is meant by "insignificant disease". When they talk about prostate cancer being overdiagnosed and overtreated, they're talking about YOU!
The medical profession may have lured you into the medical mill with a positive biopsy, but you DO still have the option of removing yourself from the treadmill of diagnosis-by-biopsy followed by immediate-local-treatment. I'm sure that either a surgeon or a radiation oncologist would be delighted to treat you because if they only treated patients with your extent of disease their stats would be lookin' REALLY GOOD!
Another of her many excellent posts is here http://www.yananow.net/newbyadvice.htm which she conlcudes with:
So, start educating yourself further. You have time. You don't need to rush into a treatment decision you may live to regret, particularly if your staging to determine extent of disease is not yet complete. There are other treatment options including other forms of radiation, other combination protocols, androgen deprivation therapy as primary treatment and a whole bunch of stuff to know, some of which is essential and some of which is relatively more optional. At minimum, you should:
- Have your Gleason verified by an expert
- Answer the question: Do I really need to be treated or am I a candidate for giving Watchful Waiting a try?
- If immediate treatment is indicated based on thorough staging of the extent and nature of disease, be sure the procedure is done by an expert.
- If you are considering local treatment you need to be fully informed regarding the details of how the procedure is conducted, what the side effects are, what the probability of recurrence is likely to be, what the financial ramifications of your treatment are and how they will be handled, and what salvage options are available to you if primary treatment should be unsuccessful.
- If you are considering a form of local treatment you need to know how your present age, other health issues, urinary status and priorities figure into the equation.
Proper selection of the patient for a treatment protocol, proper preparation of the patient for the treatment protocol, and minimizing side effects and maximizing the potential for successful treatment by enlisting an expert physician are essential elements in our attempt to optimize outcomes.
