Active surveillance

Les,

I was on Active Surveillance for 3 years, it wasn't until May last year when my PSA levels were 12.9, they had me in.

All credit to the NHS, they done a great job, now 8 months after the Radiation treatment I am in Biochemical Remission (as long as my PSA levels can stay between 0 and 2, I don't require any further treatment , so fingers crossed there).

Do you have your PSA levels tested every 6 months?  I would carry on with the Active Surveillance but if you would rather not, have a talk with the specialist nurses or an Oncologist, see what your options are.

Best of luck.

Hi les

I was on AS between 2013 and 2017. Your stats are very low so AS makes a lot of sense.  Possibly the most important issue here is the tumour size and location within the gland. As long as the tumour is not about to break out of the gland then all is OK.  Of course surely  they must have checked all that. I would still double check that for peace of mind.

All looks good though

Best wishes

Steve

My younger brother had similar at 72 years.  However, because of our family history my Dad died with not of prostate cancer I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at 73 PSA 13 Gleason (3+4) T2 (3) N0M0 and had 9 months HT and 20 sessions of RT - At MRI Scan tumour could be seen pressing on the outside at the back of the capsule so T3 disease could not be ruled out as microscopic cancer cells could have already broken out so that was the only way with the treatment I had as the RT would mop up any rogue cells that had escaped.  Thankfully,  6 years on and my PSA is still undetectable so to all intents and purposes a "cure".  So my brother chose Brachytherapy and again he is fine and has just had his 76th birthday.  Whether he could have gone with Active Surveillance and avoided any treatment we will never know of course.  The brachytherapy gave him some urinary problems after about 3 weeks but that has subsided with medication and now living his best life.

All the best with whatever you decide.  Active surveillance should be fine but make sure it is active and report any changes in urinary and bowel function and any aches and pains - don't write things off to old age - because they just might not be.  You should have a PSA test at least twice a year if not every quarter and a biopsy and Multiparametric MRI (MpMRI) once a year. To ensure that any changes are found quickly.

All the best.