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Hi Margaret and welcome

Sorry to hear about your OH.

I understand what they are saying about the surgery, it just may not be possible to remove all of the cancer cells.

Now I know that you can't guarantee success with RT and HT but I think that he stands a better chance.

HT to reduce the tumour (s) size and then finish them off with RT 

Your fear about them not being 'bothered' is not likely.

You could always get a second opinion regards the surgery option but he has already started treatment so makes it more complicated.

At least there are no bone Mets, I'm sure that he will be ok with HT and RT.

Best wishes

Steve

Hello,

I don't think they are necessarily refusing to operate on your husband because of age.  Until they could see from MRI that the tumour was pressing on the back of my prostate and therefore may have broken out from the prostate they would not operate because there could still have been microscopic cancer left which would have needed further treatment down the line.  Although they were quite happy before they knew this to offer me robotic removal of the prostate before they saw this and I was 73 but again fit and going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week skiing twice a year etc.  A new neighbour of mine had also had robotic removal of the prostate at 76.  The radiotherapy will catch far more of the cancer because the whole area where there may be cancer as well as the area where there definitely is cancer will be targeted and in that way more cancer cells will be destroyed.  3 years post my Hormone therapy and radiotherapy I am cancer free though my cancer was caught earlier than your husband's.  Unfortunately there are no guarantees with any treatments.  If you think your consultant is not giving your husband the best treatment option then do seek a second opinion as soon as possible.

Thanks for your replies, new to this blog but will be updating as we go along.  We are waiting for an oncology appt. I did ring sec but she had 3 appts and 21 people to fit in. If any one had ht and rt treatment with Gleason 9 and a high psa of 50 would be glad to see how they got on.

thanks again

Hi Margaret

I was Gleason 4+5=9 T3A N0 M0 with PSA = 15 and have been on HT since October 2018. I will remain on HT for another 18 months (my last injection should be in July 2021). I had 20 sessions of RT in February and March 2019 and my PSA is currently <0.1 and is unlikely to rise until I finish HT.

I hope your OH's treatment goes as well as mine has.

Hi Margaret,

October 2016, I was diagnosed t3b N1 M0, Gleason 4+5 =9 PSA 62, treatment hormone (Prostap) injection 3monthly, duration 3 years, Chemotherapy (Docetaxel) 6 cycles over 18 weeks, followed by Radiotherapy (37 sessions).

Last hormone injection 6 months ago, so all treatment finally finished, psa now <0.01

best regards

Hello

I have Gleason 9 biopsy  and was operated.

My PSA was not clear as had been taking finisteride (nobody ever told me the dangers)  but  last measured PSA was 14.

You can see the details  on my post of today.

I am also asking what it is like in the recovery phase.

I was lucky to be operated just before the pandemic became clear to everyone.

Hello again

sorry had not seen this before.

Did nobody do a PET  scan PSMA or PET  cholina to check if the cancer had spread?(or to see if bits had broken off)

Gleason 9 is very aggressive but people are still operated on.

My problem is some doctors would like to do radiotherapy  after the operation.

My understanding is that this can harm continence afterwards.

According to what I have heard and read the cancer releases millions of cells into the body  but your immune system deals with most.

I am surprised they started with hormones as had thought surgery was the best option.

I may be wrong.

All the best

Just a cautionary point here a PET Scan will not always pick up microscopic spread of cancer.  I seem to remember sometime ago someone did post on here the size it will pick up.

There is a difference between choline and psma pet scans.  The psma is significantly more sensitive and reliable.  

I had psma pet scan after surgery which showed metastasis to the ribs,  I haven’t had radiotherapy yet although possible to the ribs if symptoms/pain shows a requirement.  I’m happy to avoid radiotherapy to the prostrate bed due to risks,   If a scan shows cancer there then obviously benefits would outweigh risks.  

Hi I had pet choline and bone scan before surgery as was necessary to act fast .

if I should get biochemical recurrence will do the psma before deciding but where I live one needs to reserve a month in advance and now with corona am not even sure if that’s possible 

have you thought of cyberknife if you have a distant tumour ?

all the best 

Roy