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New member, newly diagnosed
Greetings, I am newly diagnosed with prostate cancer... Oh boy! 62 years old, PSA 50, with gleeson 9 (4+5 and 5+4) in all 13 samples areas - with an estimate of 65 to 75% cancerous... As of the biopsy 2 weeks ago. Got a bone scan and ct done last Friday and both seem to show no metastitis... (Whoo!) the urologist was…
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Newly Diagnosed
Had a biopsy three weeks ago with a Gleason score of 8. I was very suprised because the urologist, in performing the biopsy with transrectal ultra sound, stated the prostate looked good except for a few calcium deposits. I had prostate biopsies two previous times, the last about 8 years ago, and they were both negative.…
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Been a while - update on my dad
Hi all, It has been some time since I have posted about my dad's prostate cancer. I have some new questions and will update everyone as it has been a while. He was diagnosed beginning of June with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, gleason score of 10. Cancer spread to liver, pelvic lymph nodes, chest lymph nodes and…
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Doctors Scratching Their Heads. Ideas
I insisted on a biopsy in September of 2015 after a couple of elevated PSA tests. (6.4 followed by 5.4). To the surprise of my urologist, one of six samples came back with 2mm of positive tissue. It was graded a Gleason score of 3+4=7. A routine post diagnosis pelvic CAT scan was performed to check for any signed of…
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I'm Nervous About My PSA
hello, everyone. i received a call from the urology office and my PSA went down from a 7.6 to a 6.2. because my PSA is still above 5.5, my uro recommends a biopsy. my urologist understands since i had some concerns about him performing a DRE before having blood drawn, he doesn't mind re-checking my PSA. i asked the nurse…
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New to this site, new to understanding cancer
Hi, I was online tonite hoping to find some kind of help for my Dad. He found out a year ago that he has prostate cancer. Please forgive me, because I'm sure I don't know all the right words to say exactly what all this entails. I do know that it's very aggressive and rapid cancer & that it basically boiled out of the…
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People on Stage 4 Trials
Hi, Since stage 4 is not cureable by current treatments - is there anyone on a trial with good results?
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Kaiser physicians proficient at nerve sparing prostatectomies
My husband was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. We are Kaiser insured and are looking for the best physician to perform his prostatectomy. Does anyone know of a highly recommended Kaiser surgeon in the NW Region who performs these operations on a regular basis? Any input would be greatly appreciated!
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Apifiny Non-PSA Blood Exam
today, i went to a new urologist. i showed him my history. he performed a DRE and took two samples of blood, to test my PSA and another test called Apifiny Non-PSA blood exam. before he had my blood drawn, he performed a DRE. he said my prostate felt fine. one thing that has me concerned is the fact he performed the DRE…
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HIg Post Operative PSA Level
My story is so strange, but may be all of ours are. I just had my prostrate removed and my inital PSA test (5 weeks) is 0.1. I will need raditiaon, which is effective at 0.5, but better below 0.1. Has anyone ever had a high inital PSA and then the 2nd one was lower? I am almost aftraid to ask, as the first test should have…
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Prostate cancer returns
After about 7 years of controlled Prostate cancer, it has returned. PSA is now 25 (from .05) for a long time. And signs of Bilateral linguinal lymph nodes. Enlarged prostate. Earlier was taking bicalutimide, now doctor has said it is refractory and started Fosfesterol for the past 3 days. Loss of appetite, extreme fatigue…
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Metastatic Prostate Cancer
My husband (age 73) was just diagnosed October 30, 2015. His PSA was 1804. He was hospitalized briefly for two blood transfusions (severe anemia) and to get his pain under control. He received his first hormon therapy injuection (Firmagon) while an inpatient. His PSA 2 weeks after was 83 and this week it is down to 20.…
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Possible reoccurrence after HDR Brachytherapy
I was treated for prostate cancer in Feb and March of 2013 with 2 fractions of HDR (14 Gray each). In 2014 I was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) which has progressively gotten worse. In the workup for a Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) my doctor ordered a Nuclear Medicine Bone Scan. It revealed a couple areas of…
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post MDA appt. status review
Bone scan confirms that the cancer has not affected my skeleton and initial MRI also suggests that the cancer is currently contained within the prostate. This is what my urologist suggested, remove entire prostate. This what the radiation oncologist suggested, PBT and IMRT both with and without Loupron. He stated that…
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Biopsy accuracy? Genetic testing of biopsy tissue = 2nd opinion options
Here are 2 articles regarding the advances in gentic testing of biopsy tissue that help to determine the "$64,000 dollar question". The "$64,000 dollar question" is this - is my PCa a slow growth non aggressive type or is my PCa the fast growth aggressive type? This is obviously the "holy grail" of PCa pathology as it can…
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2013 and updated 2014 patient satisfaction study Proton Beam Therapy
I have copied a link to a recent study of the Health Related Quality of Life as reported by Dobson DaVanzo & Associates in a study that was sponsored by the National Association for Proton Therapy. The survey responses were from 3,789 patients who received treatment from 12 different PBT centers, with 26% more than 6 years…
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Protons are different than Photons
Let us all agree that less body tissue which becomes radiated is better than more body tissue that is radiated while under therapy for PCa. Then we must also agree to understand that Protons when used as the source of radiation are unlike Photons. The radiation energy in photons (X-Rays, Gamma rays etc) is present in the…
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Digital Rectal Exam humor
PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR BRINGING THIS FORUM DOWN A FEW NOTCHES. I came across these comments that were made about colonoscopies, but I think several apply to the Digital Rectal Exam(finger wave). H ...................... On the subject of Colonoscopies... Colonoscopies are no joke, but these comments during the exam were…
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PSA now 1.17
I just had a new Psa test and it was 1.17. Six months ago it was 3.6. Frankly, I thought 3.6 was very low for me. To review, three years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 with matastases over about 70% of my body and a Psa of 300, and was given not much of a chance. I am wondering how I could have a Psa of 1.17 which is…
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(SBRT) for prostate cancer in men with large prostates, >50 cm3
Background: Patients with large prostate volumes have been shown to have higher rates of genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities after conventional radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The efficacy and toxicity of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which delivers fewer high-dose fractions of radiation…
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Is there a way to receive an e-mail when a reply to certain posts is made
I am a member of another forum and I can opt to receive an e-mail when replies are posted to threads that interest me. Is that possible on htis forum? I have searched but haven't found a way. Thanks in advance David
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Glad to be hear PSA 11.7 GS 3+4=7
To All Forum members: Thank you for being here! This looks like a nice forum for me to learn from others with the wisdom gained through experience. Age = 61, health = average, no other medical problems identified. So far MRI w/rectal coil at MD Anderson - Houston, TX. Follow up included Fusion Guided Biopsy, 1 out of 11…
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To treat or not to treat
Hello all, I was diagnosed in July 2011 with stage 2 PCa, 3 of 12 being positive, Gleason score of 3+3 "involves app. 10% of the core". The same for all 3. One said "High grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (Pin 2-3)" whatever that means. PSA in May was 7. A later one in Nov. was 4.6. I've read that statins may lower…
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PSA Post HDR Brachytherapy
I am just about three years out from HDR Brachytherapy and my PSA is creeping up. Has anyone had this experience? What have they done to determine whether it is reoccurence or not? Also, if it is reoccurence what are the choices for treatment? Thanks in advance. David
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Nutrition & PCa Guidelines from UC San Francisco
To All: I have taken an approach that dramatically improves my diet and will focus on building my immunology. Here is an easy to read nutritional guide of 64 pages in .pdf format that I ran across. The guide has many footnoted passages that detail what foods and supplements will help you avoid and or impeded the progress…
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Small Cell (neuroendocrine) cancer
My dad 72 years old was recently diagnosed with Stage IV small cell neuroendocrine cancer (Gleason 5+5). He is currently undergoing standard first line platinum based chemotherapy along with hormone therapy (eligard). Given the poor prognosis for small cell prostate cancer we were looking for other alternate treatments out…
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A Journalist's Story . . .
Here's an interesting 2 part article written by a journalist chronicling his experiences w/PCa as an active surveillence patient for the past 5 years: Part 1: http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/ProstateCancer/56070 Part 2: http://www.medpagetoday.com/HematologyOncology/ProstateCancer/56091
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ADT May Contribute to Heart Disease
We've all heard that you're more like to die "with" than "from" PCa but a new study suggests that those who take ADT drugs to treat PCa may develop heart diseases and die from it instead of from PCa. Just another reason IMO not to take ADT drugs unless absolutely necessary. See:…
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PSA of 88.4. It was 55.8 just two weeks ago!!!!
Hey everyone!! I had my prostate removed in May 2014 (PSA was 29.5) Had Bladder Sling surgery to fix incontinence in September 2014. PSA was 7.4 in January 2015....Had Lupron shot. PSA was 4.5 in April 2015.....Had Lupron shot. Started having bad pains and found out that I had Diabetes with insulin numbers of 399+ and…
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Post RP Genomic testing to determine likelihood of disease recurrence
Folks, I am a new RP patient. My cancer was detected in October 2015, and I just had a robotic RP January 26, 2016. I have not read my pathology report, but the doctor did give me a good news/bad news phone call. Good news was no lymph node involvement, bad news was a positive margin. So I don't have any details of what…