New here. Just a hello

Hello Yorkshire Steve 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Prostate Community although I am so sorry to find you here. ( I am typing this in Lancashire but I know who won the War of the Roses! )

On a more serious note a Prostate Cancer diagnosis comes as a shock and the hardest part of the journey is at the start. As you say there's lots to take in but the survival rate for people with your diagnosis is good and we have plenty of Community members with the same or similar diagnosis to yours.

To answer your question on the classification of T4N1M1 here's our link to how Prostate Cancer is staged and graded:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/prostate-cancer/staging-and-grading-of-prostate-cancer

We also have another publication - understanding advanced metastatic prostate cancer and again, here's the link:

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/stories-and-media/booklets/understanding-advanced-metastatic-prostate-cancer

So, once you have digested the information provided in the above links, I am sure you will have further questions. Please come back to us and however trivial (they are important to you) someone on the Community who has "been there - done that" will come back with an answer.

We are a decent bunch and are happy to help.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hello Yorkshire Steve .

A warm welcome from a wife whose husband was diagnosed T4 over 4 years ago with spread to near and distant lymph nodes plus an odd mass in the upper abdomen which was shown to be of prostate cancer origin. All the tests you are having are to determine what type of prostate cancer you have and where it has spread to. This initial stage is the one that both men and their families find the most difficult to deal with as there are so many unknown variables but once you get to see the oncologist who will have a plan tailored specifically for you things will settle down. I would recommend that you download the free book I have given you a link to which may answer some of your questions but also Prostate Cancer UK provide excellent literature on how prostate cancer is staged along with more information on Advanced Prostate Cancer.

Your first line of attack is going to be Hormone therapy which effectively removes the cancers food supply of testosterone. This will act on the cancer no matter where it is in the body and will be prescribed once you have had your bone scan. This then gives the experts time to come up with your plan. What we have learnt on our journey is that there have been developed a range of strategies to deal with the cancer over recent years and that there are more in the toolbox for further down the line, plus many more in development. The hormone therapy has the biggest long term effect with possible side effects but the one most men have to deal with is fatigue with loss of strength - the best advice is to get as fit as possible as this can combat it and help you with your quality of life.

We are a friendly bunch with sometimes a wacky sense of humour. We are open to all questions and will try and help if we can.

The take away at the moment is that even with an advanced diagnosis there are plenty of treatments available and that you can still have a good quality of life for many years.

https://issuu.com/magazineproduction/docs/js_prostate_cancer_guide_for_patients_ezine

https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/just-diagnosed/what-do-my-test-results-mean

https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information-and-support/just-diagnosed/advanced-prostate-cancer

Hi Yorkshire Steve.

Good afternoon and welcome from another Steve I am very sorry to meet you here today but hey ho I do hope that we can offer you some help and advice/support.

Yes I have also got metastatic prostate cancer and I am just over 12mnts since diagnosis. I have been on Hormone Therapy (tablets and injections) since.

My PSA was 1000+ to start with (June 23) and the HT dropped this to single figures. But unfortunately the last three PSA numbers have started to climb so I will be having Radiotherapy in the coming days.

My consultant isn't too concerned with these numbers and he has told me that there's plenty of tools in his army which is very pleasing indeed.

Here's my original numbers: T4N1M1 Gleason 4+4=8 Group 4.

I can already see that you have started to get some info from one of the gang and I would expect you to receive further info and advice.

Please please come back to me if there's anything else that I can help you with and yes our world was turned upside down upon diagnosis but things do get much easier as you get used to the new norm.

Prostate Worrier.

Hi Steve,

Lets talk about reassurances. My husband diagnosed back in November 2023 with PC mets in the bones the nodes the full breakfast. Your can read our profile by clicking on our name. The first couple of months were pretty awful with this coming out of the blue like a bomb shell. Moving forward and just before Christmas last year we have seen the oncologist and a plan was put in place for HT and RT. For us the first appointment with the oncologist change our prospective on the illness. The NHS is brilliant when it comes to PC and Advanced PC.

10 months following diagnosis, we have almost normal life. Yes, there is the fatigue and the hot flushes but my husband fight it with physical activity and mental strength. He swim every morning and still look after us all.

So, 10 months ago I did not think it is an option at all but next week we are going on holiday and we are so looking forward to it. What I am trying to say is that there is life with advanced PC, good life!

Steve, this community is a very special place. You can ask any question you want and members will share with you their experiences and knowledge.

Lots of love

Dafna

Thanks for all your kind words of support and the information you have given me. It has given me a bit more of an understanding of what I am facing. Still a lot to take in but sure it will get a bit easier as time goes on. I've already started a course of hormone treatment before I went for my biopsy so at least I know I'm on the road. Once I get my prognosis and course of treatment I'm sure it will become easier.

Thanks again for your support it is much appreciated coming from people who are in the same boat as me.