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Angie,
Although a will to live doesn't always make a big difference not caring if you die can certainly kill you faster. The first things your brother can do is stop smoking, eat a heart/prostate healthy diet and exercise. If the doctor thinks he can live 5 to 10 then he probably can but he will have to go through hormone treatment (which can cause weight gain and deppresion at times) and then on to a few other drugs when the hormone treatment fails. By that time there should be at least five more drugs to try so he may never die from prostate cancer. He would be extemely unlucky to die in less than 3 years but with cancer anything is possible. He will be a lot happier patient if learns as much as he can about his treatment options and he should join a support group.
I totaly agree with Terry. Yes he may very well live another 5-10 years.
Granted, medicine is not an exact science and different people react differenty to the same treatment.
I too was diagnosed (at age 45)with an agressive type of PCa which had spread to the lymphnodes pre-op.
After a radical prostatectomy, I too had incontinence problems. But with some help I overcame most of them.
After Casodex, radiotherapy, watchful waiting and now Zoladex, (because of bone metastasis)I still lead an active and happy life 10 years down the road.
So, although PCa will never go away and there is no guarantee, there is a good chance that your brother will have another few years (or more) of living a happy and active life.
