Genomic Oncotype DX

MichaelF1002
MichaelF1002 Member Posts: 54
in Prostate Cancer #1

Faced with a decision on my treatment options, I first started leaning toward CyberKnife radiation.  Then the more I read about the low risk category, Active Surveillance sounded right for me.  Now the new Agent Orange study mentioned in another post here is saying that the type of prostate cancer caused by AO is more aggressive than "normal" prostate cancer.  As there is no way of knowing for sure whether my cancer is AO-related, I am left wondering: am I really at low risk with my 3+3=6 Gleason score, PSA 4.7, 5% of one core?  I've just read about the Genomic DX test which supposedly can better determine if my prostate cancer is low risk or high risk.  Medicare probably doesn't pay for it so I would have to pay for it myself.  I saw a price of $4,000 somewhere online.  Now that's a lot of money to come out of my pocket, but if the test can tell me for sure that my cancer is low risk I would feel comfortable following AS.  If it came back as high risk I would then decide to go with CyberKnife.  So the money would be worth it if the test is reliable.  Anybody have any experience with this test or know if it's indeed accurate?

Thanks.

Comments

  • ralph.townsend1
    ralph.townsend1 Member Posts: 359 Member
    #2
    If high risk??

    I think at a gleason score of 6 or 3+3 and a psa 4.5. You should not over react to PC and let it control you, but do active surveillance.

    Please see a specialist on PC and don't let some Yahoo take your Prostate out. At your level the long side effect a lot worst to remove it or

    radiated. (Becareful).

    (AS) is good

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,339 Member
    #3
    ralph.townsend1 said:

    If high risk??

    I think at a gleason score of 6 or 3+3 and a psa 4.5. You should not over react to PC and let it control you, but do active surveillance.

    Please see a specialist on PC and don't let some Yahoo take your Prostate out. At your level the long side effect a lot worst to remove it or

    radiated. (Becareful).

    (AS) is good

    Michael

    Ralph is giving you very good advise....see a specialist on Active Surveillance as I am doing.

    A couple of weeks ago I attended a support group where a sales representative for Myriad Genetic Labs was present. If I remember right he mentioned that Medicare does not cover, but the company is interested in increasing it's  population base, so the company absorbs the cost if medical coverage does not pay....you can check with them.

    It's my layman thought that these genetic test still need to be perfected, and need a larger population base to be effective....I think that these tests are micky mouse at this time, however I might discuss this with my doc at some time in the future..

    Here is a the discussion about genetic testing.

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/258742

  • MichaelF1002
    MichaelF1002 Member Posts: 54
    #4
    ralph.townsend1 said:

    If high risk??

    I think at a gleason score of 6 or 3+3 and a psa 4.5. You should not over react to PC and let it control you, but do active surveillance.

    Please see a specialist on PC and don't let some Yahoo take your Prostate out. At your level the long side effect a lot worst to remove it or

    radiated. (Becareful).

    (AS) is good

    active surveillance

    Ralph, as I mentioned, I was leaning toward AS because of the supposed low-risk nature of the cancer. (BTW the PSA is 4.7 not 4.5.)  However, my dilemma is caused by the recent Agent Orange study that found that prostate cancer caused by AO is much more aggressive.  So if my cancer was caused by AO I wouldn't consider myself to be in the low-risk category any longer and would have to opt for CyberKnife radiation over AS.  I have to try to determine the aggressiveness of the cancer, and thus the question about the Geonomic DX test. 

    But yes, from what I have researched, AS is normally a the best option for someone with my biopsy results.

    Thanks.

  • MichaelF1002
    MichaelF1002 Member Posts: 54
    #5
    hopeful and optimistic said:

    Michael

    Ralph is giving you very good advise....see a specialist on Active Surveillance as I am doing.

    A couple of weeks ago I attended a support group where a sales representative for Myriad Genetic Labs was present. If I remember right he mentioned that Medicare does not cover, but the company is interested in increasing it's  population base, so the company absorbs the cost if medical coverage does not pay....you can check with them.

    It's my layman thought that these genetic test still need to be perfected, and need a larger population base to be effective....I think that these tests are micky mouse at this time, however I might discuss this with my doc at some time in the future..

    Here is a the discussion about genetic testing.

    http://csn.cancer.org/node/258742

    Myriad

    Hopeful, thanks for the info about Myriad.  I will look into this.  I have an appointment with my urologist on Monday.  I plan to discuss this issue in detail. 

    Michael.

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