To only use CT for diagnosis?

Hi Dads carer , wow you have your hands full and just another problem.  Sounds like you are doing a great job for him.  You don’t say how far the dementia has progressed so personally I find it difficult to give much advice.  My personal view is always to look at quality vs quantity but obviously with your own dad, that is a difficult dilemma.  If the likelihood is that it is almost certainly PCa then my instinct would be to get him onto HT to halt any spread whatever the CT shows.  Hope this helps, best wishes and keep us posted. David

Hi David,

Thank you so much for your reply, much appreciated. He is 5 years into a Vascular Dementia diagnosis(average life span, 5 yrs not an exact science I know) He relies on me for everthing apart from his personal care which he still does albeit with prompting at times. It is busy with two small children to contend with too but I digress.

In some ways this new problem is of limited consequence to him in terms of his life expectancy, which is absolutely not intended to trivialise PC in any way at all. It is as you mention, quality that I am concerned about. Which is where not knowing how aggressive it is comes in. He can usually but not always, express to me when he is pain and this worries me as I would hate for something sinister to be happening and he can't let me know.

I wish you all the very best with your journey too.

Thanks again 

With HT forming part of my treatment at the moment and having had the experience of helping my wife deal with her father (Lewey Body Dementia) you have my complete sympathy.

I can see what the consultant means about MRI. If your father cannot remain still for 15-30 minutes then is might not be possible, at least without sedation.

The CT scan is quicker and might be easier to deal with.

The HT I am on is administered by injection, once every 12 weeks. I believe that it is improving my condition. It may be easier to deal with.

I wish you all the strength you need to help with this. Accept all the help that I hope family and friends are offering.

Hi  Dad's carer, and welcome to the forum, a CT scan though not perfect will show up everything and give a heterogeneous reading as well, which will  give a fair idea of your dad's condition Iam sorry to hear of your dad's  MND, but as you have said its a big factor in testing and treatment, and as you have been told his prostate is enlarged and hard this implies should it be cancer  it is still contained, which because of your dad's condition it is better to hold off on treatment and the side effects it can come with as they can be difficult to live with and I'm sorry to sound blunt but does he need these side effects for what could be the rest of his life, A spouse with prostate cancer doubles your chances of getting it. Dads carer I have an aggressive cancer  and it causes no pain. My best wishes to you both 

Eddie 

Hi Dad's carer.

Good evening and welcome it's great to meet you today sorry to hear about your dad's prognosis!!!!

Yes this time last year I was diagnosed with Terminal Prostate Cancer with a PSA off 1000+.

I was put on Hormone Therapy straight away and 12mnts+ my PSA now stands at 1.79 which is in itself amazing far far beyond our expectations from day one.

Yes I am still in the same condition as I was pre diagnosis in June 2023 and long may it last.

Yes my brother also had PC a few years ago and he was one of the lucky ones who were on the curative pathway who had his prostate and cancer removed leaving him fully cured.

My uncle also had PC a few years ago now and he also was on the curative pathway and is also fully cured.

I myself am well and in a good place so life does go on and long may it continue!!!!

I do hope that you receive lots of help and support on this forum and please come back to me if there's anything else that I can help you with????

Prostate Worrier.

Many thanks for your reply, sympathies on your situation with father in law, not easy thats for sure.

Thank you for the info on HT. 12 weekly doesn't sound too bad, have you had nuch trouble with side effects? 

Thank you for the well wishes and I also wish you the very best with your treatment

Thank you so much for replying,

Goodness, that was a high PSA. I am glad you are responding well to the treatment and the levels have come down

Indeed, long may you continue to be in a good place and enjoy

I will no doubt be checking back in, it is good to have a supportive community such as this. Again many thanks and all the very best to you

Hi Eddie,

Thank you very much for the reply, much appreciated

Yes, I wonder whether he would be able to tolerate HT or if it would just add to his confusion with the side effects. He wouldnt necessarily understand why he was feeling that way and perhaps not be able to communicate it effectively. I dont find it blunt at all and honestly, I do think that just keeping someone comfortable is a perfectly valid option, especially in someone like Dad's case. I realise not everyone will think this way.

i am sorry to hear of your own diagnosis Eddie. Thank you for sharing your experience of it not causing you pain, that is good to hear. I wish you all the very best with your journey and again, many thanks for your insight

Hi Dads carer.

Thank you very much for your reply yes it was a big shock but incredibly the PSA not only shocked us but also my consultant.

Yes hopefully things will stay stable for now and the future.

Please please come back and keep us updated if possible??

I will be keeping everything crossed for you both and I do hope that your dad's journey is as positive/smooth as possible.

Prostate Worrier.

Hi Dad's carer,  HT affects us all in different ways, some get virtually no side effects other's are hit really hard. Anyway your dad hasn't been diagnosed yet and may not be,  a  PSA of 8.4 is a little high but it by no means does it automatically mean cancer nor does an enlarged prostate, and should your dad have prostate cancer most of them  are not aggressive and slow growing taking years until treatment is needed, so fingers crossed it never becomes an issue, best wishes with the scan I hope it brings good news for you both.

Eddie