Recent Pt3b N1 diagnosis

Hi Beaufoy and sorry to hear about your current situation.

It's a shame the Mri didn't pick up the lymph node before embarking on the surgery, I presume that u had one some time before?

Have u had a bone scan?

What u have is locally advanced although without a bone scan or recent Mri you probably can't be sure.you say that initial psa was 4.4, what was it at time of surgery?

As u say the next 3 months won't be easy but it is possible that they have got rid of all the cancer with surgery. Not sure why u have to wait 3 months for a repeat psa though.

best wishes

Steve

just one more question

how do they know that cancer was in the lymph node etc?

Steve

Hello Steve,

Not sure exactly when but have only had one PSA, I think it was in May. Over the next 2 months this then lead to DRE,MRI,Biopsy and then the surgery on 28th July. No the MRI did not pick up anything in the Lymph nodes. It was the histology report following surgery that picked up cancer in the Lymph node.

No i haven't had a bone scan (yet). My consultant has said that he wants to see what my PSA reading is 3 months post op in order to determine the next course of action. I think this is standard practice in the UK? He has indicated that salvage radiotherapy is likely.

( I am age 59)

It just shows how different the health authorities do things,my partner had a PSA of 5.5,low compared to most people on here,within 5  days he had a DRE,were a lump was found,within a week because of that he had an mpMRI,we got results,five days later,because of a suspicious area  on his left lobe showed up,he had a bone scan 5 days after that,and the day after a bone scan,then an apointment for reults,all this was done in 3 weeks,because his PSA level wasn't that high,we were shocked that it was advanced,and needed surgery ot radiotherapy,he as chosen the radical robotic led surgery,which will be in 4 to six weeks,this will be the longest he's waited,but only two robotic ones a day can be done

Sue

Hi Beaufoy ,

my husband has just had the same diagnosis, prostatectomy for contained only to find out it’s in lymph node and seminal vessels. As you had to do we have to wait 3 months for psa and then probably salvage radiotherapy. How are you doing ? And what treatments have you had ?

very best wishes 

R 

Hello Bash. I am doing well thank you, feel 100% in myself, always have. That said, unfortunately my PSA is on the rise. 3 months post OP it was .003 and for the first 2 years it increased only gradually. My consultant’s view was to wait for the PSA to get to 0.3-0.5 and then have a PSMA Pet Scan with a view to finding the tumour and then treating it. Over the past year I have had 3 PSMA scans all to no avail. My last PSA reading was 1.26 in December. I have now embarked on a 2 year course of Hormone Treatment and will be having a 6 week course of salvation radiotherapy stating in May. I haven’t had any side effects from the HT so far but I am only 3 weeks in. With the benefit of hindsight I wish I had had adjuvant radiotherapy shortly after my operation. 
  I wish you both well. Fingers crossed they have removed it all and your PSA comes back (and remains) undetectable.

Regards,

Dave

Hi Dave , that’s fantastic that you are doing so well . Do you have 6 monthly psa tests ?  Thank you so much for your reply I’ll look into adjuvant radiotherapy. 

very best wishes 

R 

Hi Dave 

How are you getting on ? I imagine you are about half way through your radiotherapy? Hope you’re coping ok 

R

Good morning. Thanks for your message. I’m actually sat in the waiting room now waiting for my first session of radiotherapy. I’m sure it will be fine. I’m feeling well thanks. Sometimes get a bit emotional from ADT ( I think) and don’t have the energy I used to have but that’s all. 
  How is your husband getting on? 

Glad to hear that and that you’re starting radiotherapy. My husband has started on bicalutamide for 28 days and hormone therapy, first one last week. Radiotherapy august/September.  He’s fine , wouldn’t know he was ill. He still hasn’t read a single letter so he hasn’t a clue how ill he is . 
Hope you get on ok with your treatment x