Treatment

Hello Steve (Steve23) 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Community, although I am so sorry to find you joining us. I am Brian one of the Community Champions on the Community - I also have Prostate Cancer.

Surgery or Radiotherapy (including Hormone Therapy?) is the most asked question here. To give us a better overview of your situation assuming you have had a biopsy do you have - your PSA Results, Gleason Score and TNM Staging? Once we have these we will be in a better position to give you some answers.

At this point I would say take your time making the choice, I would write down the pros and cons of each treatment as to how they affect you. Do your research from trusted sources, Macmillan, Prostate Cancer UK and this Community (I don't advise Dr Google!). To start you off here are a couple of links:

Surgery to remove the Prostate

Radiotherapy for Prostate Cancer

I hope the above helps. Please come back to us with any questions, no question is too trivial.

Best wishes - Brian.

Good morning Steve23 and welcome to the group. The good news is that it looks as if you are going to be on the curative pathway but what treatment you decide on is very individual based on your own priorities. As a starter I would suggest you download a free book from this link.

https://issuu.com/magazineproduction/docs/js_prostate_cancer_guide_for_patients_ezine

If you read through it you will find that there are different types of surgery and radiotherapy - what you might be offered could depend on your initial PSA, TNM and biopsy report so the more information you feel comfortable supplying the more targeted help we can give. Some find it useful to upload information onto their profile as it acts as a reminder but also saves us asking the same questions in future. Also if you click on the chair or picture next to a name you will find how others have got on.

The initial few weeks are the worst as we are told we might have cancer, then all the testing and finally the wait for the diagnosis so most will recognise the stress and anxiety this causes. You are not alone and things do get better once you have sorted out a treatment plan. Prostate cancer is usually slow growing so take your time.  Keep asking questions no matter how trivial they might seem.

I lost nearly half a stone through worry prior to diagnosis - and I was only 11 stone to start with.  The weight went back on once I had a handle on the situation and I knew my pathway.  Hold on and everything will become clearer and calmer.  In the meantime, read lots of bio’s on here (click the icon next to each members name) to get an idea how people got on with the various treatments (which are, of course, dependent upon their individual diagnoses).   AW

Hi Steve 

It looks like a low key affair so it's simply a case of looking at the pros and cons for surgery and RT.

Surgery a major op with potential for more side effects like ED compared to RT.

Obviously not everyone has these issues though and some can clear up over time.

RT is easiest really with potentially no long lasting side effects after treatment is finished.

The main downside to RT is if cancer returns then surgery near impossible but ok the other way round RT after surgery.

But after considering that I still went for RT.

Good luck with whatever u  decide, take your time and obviously others will give their views.

Steve 

Hi Steve23 ,

I agree with everyone else here.

These things I would add:

• When I was diagnosed in April last year, the worry was the worst thing I encountered. It eased slowly, and when I got the full diagnosis and plan, I largely recovered from that.
• In my case, the plan was easy, because having what is called "locally advanced" prostate cancer, radiotherapy and hormone therapy combined stood out as the best option, but you have ALL the options.Brian's suggestion about the pro's and cons above is a good thing to do. Don't forget that the biggest pro of all the treatments is life.
• As a sufferer of localised prostate cancer is really good - such that, in America, they don't quote life expectancies of 5 years, but 10 and 15. Everything depends on personal circumstances, but you will, eventually, be able to set worry aside.
• You will be told about ALL the side effects. You are unlikely to have all of them. My experience so far suggests that your lfe may be changed but, with a little thinking and planning, will not be diminished.
• Lastly, prostate cancer, even if aggressive, is slow. You have time to take the right decision.

Onwards and upwards

Best wishes,

Another Steve

Many thanks Brian for your reply my Gleason score was 4/3 7  PSA was 4.7 the Staging 3 

Hello Steve (Steve23) 

With those figures, whatever path you chose, it's going to be a "curative pathway".

For me the choice would be simple:

* Surgery, a major operation, time in hospital, a catheter, learning to control my urine flow and having the chance of ED.

or

* Radiotherapy, a planning scan and then a few visits to hospital to lay on the "sunbed" (Radiotherapy Machine).

The only thing that would make me want surgery is "to get rid of my prostate and the cancer". Of course the choice is yours and you MUST think just what YOU want.

Feel free to ask any questions.

Best wishes - Brian.

Many thanks Brian I was leaning towards surgery for them reasons 

Hello There,

My OH opted for Prostatectomy for the same reasons as he had family history of PC and just wanted it gone also if you have RT it is most likely impossible to have a Prostatectomy afterwards. Also his prostate was extremely imparted so he would have to have had surgery to reduce the prostate anyway.

He was diagnosed Tb2 prior to surgery but Histology after reported as Tb3 as spread to one seminal vesicle however his surgery was suspended for about 3 months as surgeon requested he lost weight before surgery. Not sure if the waiting had an impact on the spread.

He has just completed RT and on HT for 2 years. So double whammy for him.This RT treatment is belts and braces as his post op PSA reading was 0.06 and pre op 3.10 after being on taminlosin ( not sure of spelling). 5.64 at his worse.

Hope this hasn't. Muddled your decision which was not my intention as we know how difficult it is making a decision on treatment. 

Ann33 X

Hi Ann I have been told it’s localised and has not gone into my lymph nodes but it’s 4/3 on the Gleason scale so it probably needs treatment sooner rather than later I see the consultant on the 17 Jan I am leaning towards surgery but don’t if the oncologist will say radiotherapy I just don’t know