High PSA and decision time

Hi Mustardo - Welcome to the club - my initial PSA was 182 and I later found out the little blighters hadn't left the gland. PSA is just a protein made by the prostate - it's an indicator of cancer and once the level rises it shows that cancer cells are active.

Gleason 7 and T2 is well treatable by HT/RT and the  sooner you start on the HT the sooner the cells will cease to produce and will be stopped from reproducing and killed off by the RT at a later date.

There are good and bad points for both surgery and HT/RT although I think you know in your own mind which way you are going.

Our journey on the PC route is different for us all - if it helps - take a look at mine on the HT/RT route by clicking on the icon of the beach and I hope this helps in some way.

Ask anything you want and the good members of the community will answer you.

Kind regards

Brian.

Hi Mustardo. PSA is only 1 indicator of PC the 2 other main results are the MRI and the Biopsy results. I have seen PSA figures a lot higher than yours so don't worry too much on that. If you wish to go on to HT/RT then your PSA will drop significantly as the cancer needs testosterone to grow.

I was diagnosed at age 57 with exactly the same figures you have and had HT and RT. You can read my journey by clicking on the picture of my cat.

Research every option available to you for pros and cons before making any decision.

Regards

Peter 

Hi, I had surgery 4 weeks ago yesterday. Look at all your options but I seem to be ok so far. No incontinence, not yet tried the ED bit, but heard today my lymph nodes were clear and clear margins on the prostate so hopefully cancer free. Take your time and research best approach for you. I’m 54, PSA was 9. Gleason 7. As we all say, hope some info/facts help.

Many thanks I'm just on the fence at the moment, I can't see why I should go under the knife leaving me with so many negatives 

Hi M

I wouldn't worry too much about PSA, it's not particularly high, seen many posting in the hundreds.

Probably the most important thing is T2 meaning contained within gland, easily treatable.

You are right to carefully consider treatment options because there are side effects to beware of.

I was initially going for surgery but changed to RT because of side effect issues.

Check it all out carefully before deciding, looks like time on your side

Regards

Steve 

PSA is only one determining factor of PCa.  52 is not that high - I have seen my brother in law with results in the hudreds and thousands - unfortunately he was diagnosed with stage 4 PCa at 54 and died of it at 68 - but in the mean time with good care he had a good few years traveling across the USA a few times in a camper van.  His consultant is often telling his wife and two sons when he meets them at Prostate Charity Events that if he had had the medications available now he would likely have had a few more good years too.  

I was diagnosed with PSA 13 and Gleason of 7(3+4) T2 but at MRI it was seen that the tumour was pushing out of the back of the prostate and therefore the Docs were worried that microscopic cancer cells could have escaped and would have been too small to be seen on a PET Scan (incidentally i had the MRI after the biopsy - it is best to have it the other way around so that the biopsy can be better targeted and the diagnosis is less likely to go up like that and shock you)  therefore the best option for me - and I was all ready to have my prostate removed as heck, it was cancer get it all out, was actually 9 months of RT and then a month of Radiotherapy.  This would treat the whole area and hopefully if there were any wee escapee cancer cells it would "hoover them all up" in the words of my consultant Rad. Onc.  Well either there were no wee escapees or if there were they were successfully hoovered up by the radiotherapy because here I am nearly 8 years post treatment and with PSA still undetectable.  You have to make your own decision of course but I am glad I had the Radiotherapy as I would have been devastated to have had "Salvage" Radiotherapy after having the prostate removed.  Have you had a consultation with a consultant radiologist?  If you are thinking about this course then do ask to be referred - I spoke to both from the beginning before the results of the MRI were through so do consult with both before making a decision.

All the best.