Help with options on treatments

Hello Jason (LXJ) 

Welcome to the club you didn't want to join - and I am so sorry to find you here.

To be honest with you those results would make you available for all treatments including Active Surveillance. Your comments about side effects and being sexually active are noted, so:

My best advice would be to take a pen and paper (or spreadsheet) list every treatment as to how the potential long and short term effects would affect you both and go from there. Use trusted sources for your research, Prostate Cancer UK. Cancer Research UK and Macmillan.(Not Dr Google). I will start you off with some links:

Active-surveillance-and-watchful-waiting-for-prostate-cancer.

Prostatectomy.

Radiotherapy.

Brachytherapy.

Although I have my personal opinion, I can't really comment as my "journey" has been rather none standard. What I will say is that if you click on a Community member's avatar or name if they have recorded their personal journey you can read it as we are all different.

Once you have done your research or just aren't sure please do come back and ask any questions - nothing is too trivial.

Best wishes - Brian.

There's also HIFU which is only available on the NHS in a very limited number of locations but carried out privately in many more.

Thanks Anndee, this looks promising

Your figures are low Jason, is active surveillance a possible.option

Steve 

I was told when I got my biopsy results that active surveillance is an option, but because I am only 53 they usually recommend it for older men. In my case they recommended treatment. 

Ok, well I was just under 60 when diagnosed and went on AS.

Your PSA is near normal, any idea on tumour size and is it near the capsule edge?

Steve 

I don't know the size but I asked to see the MRI after the biopsy. It was a dark match at the back of the prostate inside the outer layer, the doctor referred to the outer layer as orange peel. 

Could be worth checking the MRI more at some stage cos if particularly small AS Def an option unless you would rather go for treatment anyway.

At your age not sure about surgery though because of potential side effects.

I have to say not everyone has side effects and that is just my  opinion anyway 

Steve 

My age and figures are completely different to your, but I had radiotherapy and am still on hormone therapy.

The hormone therapy is the one that has the most off putting side effects in terms of your question.

Most people can deal with the fatigue (ignore it) and hot flushes (ignore them too), but the loss of libido and erectile dysfunction might well be the worst for you, in view of your question.

In my case, both were complete. I neither have the wish for, nor the capacity, for sexual activities. 

For me, due to my wife's long term health problems, this is something we had already come to terms with. It has not felt like a problem.

The radiotherapy had minimal side effects - apart from boredom. They faded quite quickly after the treatment stopped.

The hormone therapy side effects will not fade so quickly. They generally wind down once the treatment stops, but over a period of six months to a year.

In your case the HIFU possibility has been mentioned, but it might also be useful to consider the "Nanoknife" treatment.

You might need to be referred to a specialist centre for either of those.

Hi Steve, they have not mentioned anything about hormone therapy yet. I intend to phone the urology nurse on Tuesday and asked about HIFU, I will also ask about Nanoknife treatment.

Thanks you for your reply