Oncology Appointment

Hi Rew8

At my first Oncologist appointment, I was giving information on my situation ie TNM stage, treatment options, and possible side effects of each option. I was given ample time to think about possible treatment and effects and agreed a treatment plan at my next appointment.

Best regards 

Hi Rew and sorry to hear about your dad.

U say that he has been diagnosed with advanced PC, presumably he has already seen a specialist to tell him that?

Do u have some stats ie Psa, Gleeson , mri report, bone scan etc,  this info will help u get the best advice.

Regards

Steve

Hello

Thanks for your reply, he was told by the urology consultant that he has advanced PC and they were referring him to oncology.  At the moment he has had the scans, tests etc but none of the results / stats etc.

Thanks

Andrew

thank you that is really helpful.

Sounds like he has had all the main tests/scans, has he had a biopsy, this will give his Gleeson score(aggressiveness)

As your Dad has not been given the test and scan results in detail you will need to ask what they are and ask what they mean - write this down or ask the consultant if you can record the meeting on your phone.  It is so hard to concentrate and take things in that it is good to have something to refer to.  You can also ask if the consultant will confirm all the details in a letter to you as he should be writing a similar letter to your Dad's GP and you can ask for a copy to be sent to you also.  Although this will probably give you a lot of medical jargon it will have the main things you need to know on there such as PSA,  gleason score, TNM numbers and Staging of the cancer which everyone on here is going to ask you about.  I would advise you to have a look at the prostatecanceruk website and look at the pamphlets in their prostate cancer toolkit folder as this explains a lot of things that happen at the diagnosis stage.  You can read them online, download the pamphlets or get them posted to you but they take a while to come by post so better to either read on line or download them. Their helpline staffed by specialist prostate cancer nurses is brilliant too and I used it frequently when I had questions as it was so difficult to contact my allotted key worker at the hospital when I was first diagnosed and had to decide which treatment I would go for - its a free 0800 number and open office hours Mon-to Friday and I think opens earlier and closes later on a Wednesday.  Of course we are also here for you to ask questions after the consultation too.   What you need to know is his Gleason Score and how it is made up for example I was 7 (3+4)  then they will tell of the TNM numbers and Staging  you also need to ask if and where the cancer has spread to and if there are any other tests and scans he should have.  It sounds like he has had most of them but always good to confirm. Ask what your Dad's ongoing treatment may be and what options there are and how they may affect your Dad taking into account his general health and age.  Don't feel silly if you have to ask a question twice or ask the consultant to explain things in a more simple way they do wander off into medical jargon which we don't  understand.  Never think that any question is stupid just ask the question and ask for the answer in plain English.

It may also be a good idea to find out if your hospital, or another hospital close by has a Maggies Centre where you can go for all kinds of advice or whether there is a prostate cancer or cancer self help group operating in your area.  It is always good to talk to other people who are going through a similar journey and get tips and advice and just share experiences.  Some of these self help centres such as Maggies and Tenovus will also make you aware of any help and benefits your Dad may be able to claim and help with claiming them so very useful at all times.

I was told at my first oncology appointment to now tell all my male relatives and friends over 50 to get regular PSA tests as catching this disease early is important.

All the best,

Des

Hello

Thanks for getting back to me, that's really helpful.

Take Care