Active surveillance

Good Morning Michael (michael1963) 

As we have all said - it's your choice AS or treatment and if the AS is causing anxiety which it clearly is I would be asking your team for some action to cure.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks millbob  when spoke to consultant she was strongly steering me towards a.s     she said biopsy only showed less than 5% low grade cancer  .only had 2 cores taken . But I am still struggling with anxiety regarding what best to do next.

Good Morning Michael (michael1963) 

It's a personal choice - I can't advise you one way or the other as I am not medically trained but for me:

* It's not going to go away anytime soon.

* I don't deal with worry and anxiety well.

^ The younger you are, the better you respond to treatment.

From those 3 statements alone you can guess what I would do in your situation.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thanks much appreciated millbob

Hi Michael 

Your PSA has gone down and you've been told you don't need treatment. That's great! Try to relax.

Thanks David just find it hard to switch off from

Hi Michael,

You are staying right on top of this. Good job.

You say only 2 cores were taken with your biopsy. This is an unusually low number. This really isn't enough to assess your prostate. It is fine to use MRI results to target the biopsy. But the MRI can not preclude the possibility of cancer elsewhere in the prostate.

It would make sense to get another biopsy in the next few months, taking at least 12 cores. If the results are low volume gleason 6, AS can still be considered, assuming your existing lesion is not close to the edge of the prostate. 

Sorry you have to deal with this.  

Thanks only got 2 cores taken which were targeted had to stop as I was getting anxiety but when I met with consultant they seemed satisfied with my low p.s.a and m.r i. Scan that I have Gleeson 6 and as far as I am aware tumour not near edge.Thought I might have been offered another biopsy but not so

I have read that it is possible for a biopsy to be done under general anaesthetic, which might help with the anxiety.

Perhaps write down the things that are bothering you and seek reassurance?

When I was first diagnosed, and in that place where your head is spinning and you assume the worst, I had a long conversation with my GP which started me on the path I am on now.

I am more relaxed, but still with the occasional "For heaven's sake, you've got cancer man! Have the decency to worry! Type of thought.

I willfully ignore that.

A friend of mine, also suffering as we are, is resolved to keep going as normal.

Me too.

Fake it 'til you make it, as the saying goes.

Steve

Thanks Steve really appreciate your reply think will phone consultant regarding another biopsi as it does worry me only 2 cores taken first time yet they seem ok with it just to monitor my p.s.a which helps me a bit knowing it's went down since biopsi