Prostate Cancer Survivors

 

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Re: da Vinci Surgery vs High dose brachytherapy

Tom,
If I was you I would go on active surveillance. There is a good chance that a vaccine type treatment will be available within 10 years that would have no side effects. If the vaccine treatment doesn't work out then all the other treatments will have better outcomes then they do today. I think you would have no trouble getting your urologist to agree to active surveillance with your situation.

Re: da Vinci Surgery vs High dose brachytherapy

Aloha Tom Koleski,
If you are asking for a vote - between surgery vs radiation - with what you have shared - I vote the wait and watch routine. I would like more information from you - PSA every month, Free PSA, more clarity on what the "3 areas found on biopsy" means (like 6 or 12 cores. Also, need to send your samples to a second pathologist.
You have plenty of time, months to make this decision. As you know, selecting treatment and getting treatment are a huge non-reversible step which will affect you for the rest of your life.
Sorry you had to learn about PCa by getting it.
Joe - Hamakua Coast - Love it - PCa treatment sucks

Re: da Vinci Surgery vs High dose brachytherapy

Tom,

When you read newspaper reports about prostate cancer being over-diagnosed and overtreated they are talking about men with a diagnosis like yours. It seems unlikely, from what you haved posted that the variant of the disease which you have been diagnosed with will become life-threatening in your lifetime.

You certainly have time to consider all your options. There are many studies now that show that a delay of months, or even years, in making the final life changing decision does not affect the outcome to any substantial degree.

You might find it useful to read this study: Active Surveillance For Favorable Risk Prostate Cancer:What Are The Results, and How Safe Is It?

If you feel that you cannot consider Active Surveillance because of the pressures on you to 'do something' then there are really only two aspects to consider:

1. Ensure that your diagnosis is correct by having your biopsy results reviewed by a RECOGNISED EXPERT PATHOLOGIST
2. Find the most experienced practitioner of the therapy that makes most sense to you. All therapies, carried out by people with equal experience and track records are likely to have similar outomes.

There are more detailed suggestions on what information may be useful in coming to your decision and how to collect it at CHOOSING A TREATMENT

Good luck

Terry in Australia

Re: da Vinci Surgery vs High dose brachytherapy

A time tested cliche: "window of opportunity."

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