Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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PET Scan

Had a PET scan 3 months ago that showed everything clear after surgery and subsequent EBRT. PSA of 2.5. Week ago had bone scan after extreme pain showed up in bones. Results indicated that all bones had cancer. Question? How can this be. IS the PET scan that inaccurate? Can the prostate cancer spread that quickly? I am devastated. My doctor says without additional therapy of some sort I have 1-2 months to live. Doctor put me in Hospice. My how quickly things can change.

Re: PET Scan

Jim,

That is awful news and seems extreme although of course with no knowledge of your diagnosis it is difficult to comment on what you have been told.

As to your questions regarding PET scans, they are certainly not 100% accurate especialy as far as bone metastasis is concerned. They are somewhat better with soft body material, but my oncologist refused point blank to agree to my having a PET scan because in his view they were so unreliable.

Very aggressive, late stage prostate cancer can move very fast indeed, although yours seems to be unusually fast.

Re: PET Scan

Jim,

When were you diagnosed with PCa and what were the results of your biopsy, ie. Stage, Gleeson score and PSA? How old were you?

Did you have a CAT scan and MRI before your surgery? if so what were the results? if not why not?

What was your pathology report after the surgery, what was your Gleeson score after the surgery, did it increase?

The news that you have recieved must be devastating to you and your family and friends, I hope that you are able to come to terms with it, but I know how difficult it will be.

When I was diagnosed in 2002, my cancer was inoperable because it had already spread to the seminal vessels, I was told I had a very aggresive cancer, with about 6 months to live, I am still here nearly 7 years later tho I am untreatable because it has now spread to my pelvic lymph nodes, so I have decided to take place in a trial for the drug Abiraterone Acitate plus Prednisone.

I sincely hope that you are able to fight this new development in your journey and prove the doctors wrong.

Maybe you should ask your doctor if any trials are available to you.

I wish you every success in your fight againt this dreadfull decease

Re: PET Scan

Relating to Prostate Ca PET scans are highly inaccurate because the isotope doesn't bind to the PC cells.
A recent study out of Germany incicated that a PET scan had a 100% failure rate in indentifying Lymphnode involvement.
A recent article posted on the New Prostate Cancer Info Link noted that PET scans were so inaccurrate that one should only get them if they were FREE as a part of a clinical trial.

Re: PET Scan

my father was told the same thing when diagnosed 4/08. he is still fighting. dr's are very insensetive.
don't panic and don't give up hope.
best wishes,

Re: PET Scan

Is it possible that you have two types of cancer? I would be going to a place that specializes in prostate cancer and not give up yet. Don't rely on one doctor when you're in such a position. There are at least ten more treatments (ADTs, radiation, chemos & experimentals) that they can throw at it. You should be able to live at least another 2 years even with your present situation.

Re: PET Scan

I love this site! I feel better too now:)

Re: PET Scan

I was diagnosed with two aggressive tumours. The MRI suggested that the prost was a candidate for complete removal. I'm fine with that. Anyway, I then had a bone scan, a CT, and chest X-ray, to see if there had been any spread. While waiting for the results, I got a call from a Dr who was part of Clinical Trials for PSMA PET scans. He said the hospital was offering me a place in the Clinical Trial and that if I agreed, I'd be given a PET scan.

Googled it and learned that it's supposed to be X times more accurate than a CT, and can detect stray cancer that has moved away from the prost and taken up residence elsewhere, even if those fragments are very very small.

Sounded good to me so I met with the Doc, and he outlined the deal. I was almost sold, but then I asked him what happens if they find a very very small bit somewhere. He says, well, we keep that information as part of our research. I said, But don't you give the results to the Specialist so that he can think about possible plans of treatment? He says, No.

So, I went cold on the idea of course. No point in having a medical procedure if it's not going to tell you anything. Especially if you also have to get a dose of radiation higher than usual.

Anybody had that experience with trials? What's the deal with them?

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