Another slap down today. Update

Thank you Prostrate Worrier . I honestly didn’t realise they can go down the HT only route . Much appreciated xx

Hi Johnam.

No probs it's my pleasure 

Yes the HT has worked fantastic!!

Hopefully it will work as well for you???

Prostate Worrier.

Hijohnam .

So sorry that you have having such a rough ride at the moment. My husband had extensive radiotherapy 4 years ago to the prostate and the whole of the pelvic area plus lymph nodes further up into the abdomen. To date he has no bowel problems and only very occasional night time leakage. More importantly there is no evidence of recurrence in that area. There are several different types of radiotherapy, some of which can be extremely targeted to avoid collateral damage to surrounding organs so think positively.

Hello johnam 

I should quantify Hormone Therapy (or androgen depravation therapy (ADT)) is used to reduce the male hormones in the body mainly testosterone.

It doesn't cure Prostate Cancer but stops the cells from being made. it even sometimes shrink them. 

The issue is many cancers become resistant to Hormone Therapy over time and secondary treatment - radiotherapy or chemotherapy is required to kill the cells off. This is where regular PSA testing comes in. In many cases Hormone Therapy works lifelong and in these cases people often have an HT "holiday" where they come off the Hormones for say 12 months.

I hope this makes the HT pathway a little clearer.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Mascouche.

Yes I was told similar this time last year when I was 57.

We were given very bleak news at the first appointment PSA 1000+

On the second appointment that changed "big time" PSA 50.

Prostate Worrier.

Thank you Brian You are a fountain of knowledge . He has started his HT tonight with vitamins etc . He gets his first injection a week on Tuesday . X

Hi always hope . We just felt we had turned a curative corner then slapped down it’s now not  curable . Do we need to reprogram our minds and work through what they throw at us . He started his HT tonight and has been given a date for his injection  so things are moving now .xxx

Hi johnam .

Even with local spread to the lymph nodes and seminal vesicles the treatment should be designed with the intent to kill the cancer. In addition the five year survival for such men is around 95% with the current treatments available. Your husband's initial PSA is less than 20 which is good but the fact that he has lymph node spread means that he will be at a greater risk of recurrence further down the line - the cancer cells can move through the lymphatic system and seed into more distant areas but not start growing until later, sometimes taking many years before they rear their heads and need treatment. This means that he will probably be treated more aggressively from the start with a longer term of HT.

Hi there

I’m sorry you didn’t feel your appointment went well. These appointments can really make you feel so down I know. 

For my own opinion on your husbands case, for me I wouldn’t of gone for the surgery if there was lymph node involvement as I would be thinking why go through the surgery and the complications of ED and poss bladder incontinence if I was most likely to need RT and HT due to the stats on node involvement and recurrence after surgery?

So for me thinking of you tonight I think the fact that your hubby has already started hormone therapy is such a positive as whilst everything else is being looked into you can relax a little knowing like others have said it’ will halt the cancer  

I really hope all the stops are pulled out now to get some clarity for you about the way forward and from what they said still curative. 

Take care and if you like a drink have a large one, you deserve it, if. It I’ll have one for you x

Hi always hope, we had an early night last night as we are both exhausted . Thank you did you message . I need to put on my big pants and now start looking at these treatments and be ready for the oncologist . Thank you again. Xx