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I'm 73 and have been advised that my best chance for a cure is EBRT. No surgery due Pulmonary Embolisim two years ago. I'm interested in Proton therapy or treatment but don't have the availability in this area.
I'm 73 and have been advised that my best chance for a cure is EBRT. No surgery due Pulmonary Embolisim two years ago. I'm interested in Proton therapy or treatment but don't have the availability in this area.
New to this site and guess I should indicate PSA last month of 5.3 and then a redo by my Urologist a week later with a result in the 4.6 range. This followed up by a 14 core biopsy with 6 showing cancer. I scored a 3+4 for a Gleason of 7. My health is generally good but overweight.
Aloha Tom,
Yours is not an easy decision. Age and weight are difficult to make any comment about your treatment outcome. Guess I'ed wait and see what your PSA does over the next year or so. Any radiation treatment will have side effects. Proton vs IMRT is anyone's guess. If any of it comes out of your pocket, Proton would not be a good choice. Read the stories on this web site. Contact those that are similar.
Unless you have the aggressive PCa, I'ed wait until you are forced to treat. Any treatment will change your life including ADT. If you do go with ADT, I'ed suggest making the doses as small as possible, again only if your PSA indicates.
Hang in there, I know about age, treatment just makes it worse.
Joe
Thanx for the reply Joe Mac. My Dr. advises starting treatment asap. I'm still trying to get a grasp on the termonology. Have an appt. tomorrow with a Rad. Oncologist. I'm sure he will want to get started. I have another apointment on Thursday with another Rad. Oncologist. I guess I could continue the appointments ad infinitum and they will all tell me the sme thing. Problem is not able to determine how long I can delay the inevitable.
Aloha Tom,
A sign of aggressive PCa is when you can measure your PSA doubling time. Even if your doubling time is a year, then you can decide at that time if you want to treat. You should read about PSA on this web site. To determine if your PSA trends up and you will need to get this test say every month for the next 6 months, then you can decide what to do.
Keep talking to oncologists, different oncologists. Find one that you like, they should be honest & patient with you. A person that you can trust. Not a doc that is trying to get you to do what they want at their clinic.
Read, read, read, talk to other men on this site.
Joe
Again, Thanks for your advice and encouragement. I'm seeing the Oncologist this Am and hope to get a better handle on where I am. I have copies of the recent pathology but don't quite know how to interpret it. Maybe this guy can shed a little light for me. My Urologist is very knowledgeable but is like talking with a computer geek. It's difficult for him to discuss the problem on my level.
