Brother just diagnosed

Correct, M1b is in the bones, M1c is in a soft organ.

Thankyou Roger That, I was just checking all our paperwork and notes.

Majestic

Hi Bg65 

I am so sorry to read about your brother’s condition.

Once he receives the results from his scan, ask the Oncologist if he has Oligometastatic Disease or if it is Metastatic. There is a huge difference. Click on my profile to see my story. 

There is always hope, don’t give up on the fight no matter what the stats say.

All of the best 

Dutchie

Thank you Munster I will get him to ask the question but what is the difference if you could explain please . He is not going to give up the fight he’s very fit eats really well and is determined but as only really told Gleason score etc today we are all just in shock . If it’s in his bones can he still live for a long time I’m seeing conflicting things on the internet and I know shouldn’t Google but my mind is in overdrive trying to find success stories . I know he can’t be cured but is there good treatment out there for his diagnosis 

thank you

BG

Hi Bg,

I saw lots of messages to you on here yesterday but have only just had time to read through them. Like others I'm sorry that the news yesterday wasn't what you'd hoped for but I also hope that you are one step closer now to knowing what your brother (and you of course and his partner) are facing. I see the cancer like a sniper in hiding where people are unaware of its existence at first, then the other day  you were told of its existence but you didn't know which direction to run in or where/how to fire back - but you are much nearer to seeing it for what it is now and which direction you need to attack from. Sorry about the corny analogy - but I think that visualisation like this is meant to help in the way our body responds to illness and especially cancer. Or maybe I'm just a bit too woo-woo!!!!! You have had so much good advice and encouragement on here yesterday - we are a bit behind you in diagnosis but like you I've been so overwhelmed with people's care and concern and fully expect to have some wobbles in our future steadied on here. Sending love and strength to you all and the best advice to remember to take one step at a time x

PS Also since John's journey began and we told various friends about it, we have now reached the grand total of 20 friends and family members of those people who have had a PC diagnosis and are all still going strong several years later. That's a statistical encouragement I think!

Hi Bg65 

My Oncologist like many other Oncologists are of the opinion that if you have Oligometastatic Disease that there is still an opportunity for cure even though it is still stage 4. 

Oligometastic refers to 5 or less tumours. Clearly size and location needs to taken into consideration. In my case I had 2 x 6mm tumours in my spine. One on my C5 and one on my T4. Only discovered on an PSMA PET scan. According to Google my prognosis was on average 10 months. After SBRT and almost 6 months later there is no sign of Cancer in my spine and I feel the best I have been since being diagnosed. 

There is extensive research on Oligometastatic Disease on the Web referring to it as being potentially still curable. Metastatic Disease on the other hand may not be curable but manageable for many years. Oncologists have a huge amount of tools available to treat and manage patients. 

I will dig up papers that I have found. Search for clinical papers on Secondary Bone Cancer in the meantime. You will be surprised what you find. Do not get bogged down with stats around life span or prognosis. Your brother must create his own. 

All of the best.

Dutchie

Hi ally 

thank you for replying it was lovely reading that and you explained it perfectly not a bit woo woo at all  . I’m sorry you’re going through this journey and I wish you best on this path . I don’t know how I could have got through this without everyone’s kindness on here it’s been a saviour . My brothers taking it so well better than me I’m just in bits every day his attitude is I’m gonna beat it I’m going no where and I love him for that it’s just his mess of a sister . His partner is a rock to him and his daughter is in bits but I’ve shown her everything in here and she’s feeling so much better . I update my brother after each message I receive and he’s so thanul to everyone he’s just not ready to talk himself to anyone on here so I said I will be the chatterbox  I have found hardest part is all the waiting for the diagnosis like yesterday hit Gleason score etc ok bad news but we know where we stand , then the bone scan which still waiting for . He’s now m1 which she told him yesterday but then she’s saying because they didn’t know about my brothers extensive injuries over the years and operations on his bones to just ignore that as that could be showing up I think something must have shown up in MRI . So then it’s a little bit of hope that the bone scan is going to be ok so again starts you of worrying obviously I’m hopeful this does explain anything that’s been seen on MRI . Once again thank you so much 

BG

Thank you Munster I really appreciate all this information it helps so much I have wrote it down for my brother to ask when he sees the oncologist. 
BG

Hi Bg65 

I was just reading your post about the bone scan and has to let you know  .My OH had his but explained about a previous injury to his back and pointed to the area .  When we got the results was  told they saw that he had dislocated his shoulder years ago . Broke three ribs and his two knees were gubbed . His injury with the rank showed up as wear & tear .so it’s pretty thorough and will show up your brothers previous injuries .

hope all goes well for him & take care

Liz & OH xx.  

Thank you John am for your reply . It’s the MRI that has obviously showed something as we haven’t got bone scan yet so the thinking is if something has showed up on MRI and that’s why they then gave it as m1 instead of original mx then could the MRI show it was cancer or something unusual so the urologist said that we will forget the m1 disregard that as operations bone injuries etc could change all that so that’s where we are confused as to where the m1 has come from so it’s offering hope but then the bone scan could then knock that hope . So my question is would the MRI show it as definately bone cancer before the bone scan 

BG