Nervous newbie

Hi Skinwiz 

Yours stats r quite low so u are a good contender for AS.

I was on AS for 4 years, it was ok if a little stressful at times.

Staying on AS just means you can put off the possible side effects from any treatment that u may have. 

Difficult one though because I recognize that  you probably just want to get it over with.

Try and talk it through with your specialist also see what others say. 

Steve

Thanks Steve.

Your support and comment is gratefully received. My thought was to wait for my first observation in 4 months time and then go from there. What was your decision after the 4 years?

Think of your cancer as a car at the top of a slope. With no brakes on. Will it just sit there, or is the slope steep enough for the slightest air movement to start it moving? Let's Actively Surveille it. And why not? But once it starts moving, it will accelerate, even with a shallow slope. If you are going to stop it, it's much easier to chuck a chock under the wheels as it inches forward, than wait until it's thundering down the hill at 63mph.

To horribly over-simplify, active surveillance in the elderly is because they have a very good chance of dying of something less unpleasant before the PCa gets nasty. But active surveillance in the younger patient is simply about keeping the weapons dry until you know they're needed. But if they're needed, they're needed.
"We've only got 200 rounds of ammunition, Jim"
"Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes, then make every shot count."

Warning: Real life isn't as simple as analogies ... but you get my drift.

The key to active surveillance is that it's active: you need to get whatever tests have been agreed, at the time they're agreed. You will need to see the urologist if you get an abnormal result, which means you need to know what you're looking for. AS can work, and work well, but you need to be involved with it.

 Skinwiz

I have been on AS since 2017. I have regular PSA Tests and annual MRI. OK so far. My next PSA is this Thursday so I am a bit apprehensive. 

You might find that your PSA spikes after biopsy. Mine trebled and took 6 months to come back down.

That is a fantastic analogy and one that explains my predicament perfectly, thankyou, thankyou so much.

I have only 4 months to wait for my first assessment so I'll go from there.

Thankyou for your experience, I'm getting a good idea of AS and a better view from people such as yourself who are on it. Good luck on Thursday.

I only went for treatment because the tumour was  nearing the capsule edge, something to watch out for.

Yes good idea , wait for first ob and take it from there 

Steve