Dad's Prostatectomy is tomorrow.... Very Anxious

Steelchuggin26
Steelchuggin26 Member Posts: 36
in Prostate Cancer #1

Hello again everyone, it has been a couple weeks since I last posted, but I figured I would drop by again considering tomorrow is the day of my father's surgery. To bring everything back up in regards to what my father's situation is, he had a prostate biopsy done on March 19 as a result of elevated PSA in routine blood tests(4.2 ng/mL) and the biopsy composed of 12 cores taken with 5 being positive for cancer. I cannot remember exactly what the percentage of each core's involvement, but I believe it was somewhere around 30-40% for all of them if I understood the doctor correctly. The doctor made no mention of being able to see or feel the tumor on ultrasound, so I am guessing that it was not palpable or visible, otherwise he would have told us(I hope, anyway). Based upon these findings, his cancer was given a clinical stage of Stage 1, even though he has been having urinary symptoms such as frequent urination, though that seems to have slowed down some after he had antibiotics for diverticulitis. He had also been complaining of weaknees, which makes no sense, because if it is actually causing weakness it has to be at least somewhat advanced I would think. Why the Urologist decided not to do imaging tests based upon these symptoms, I have no idea, but alas here we are on the eve of surgery. Of further note, I should also mention again his Gleason score is 6 as of right now, but I have seen articles on the internet that said the post operative pathologyoften finds the cancer to actually be more aggressive and extensive than what the biopsy indicates, and is often "bumped up" to a higher grade, such as from Gleason 6 to Gleason 7(3+4= 7 or 4+3 = 7). 

Having said all that, I am very worried at what the doctors may well find when they "open him up" tomorrow. I have this nasty feeling that with his symptoms, his cancer will have indeed been found to have spread outside of the prostate, beyond the capsule, and seminal vesicles, and perhaps to even bones or distant organs. I probably wont be able to sleep much tonight, as I suffer from an anxiety disorder, and this will only serve to make it worse. I am hoping for the best, and wishing that indeed the biopsy is correct, and that the cancer is indeed "only" Gleason 6, and is still contained within the prostate, but as I said previously, with his symptoms, I am afraid it may well be more advanced than initially thought. The doctor did say that his prostate was enlarged, though Im not sure if that is enlargment due to something besides the prostate, such as BPH coexisting alongside the cancer, or if it is a result of the cancer itself. My guess is the enlargement is due to the cancer itself. I will try to post an update tomorrow if I can, if not, Ill do it the next day. 

Here's to hoping it goes well.

Brandon O.

Comments

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #2
    Dear Brandon.

    I wish your father the best in the decision that he made.

    You are a good son. You did research on his behalf. I agree with you that other diagnostic tests were called for before surgery

    To answer your current question, the enlarged prostate is separate from the cancer. Since the prostate is enlarged, it is probably putting pressure on the , I think spinter causing urinary problems.  After surgery your father's urinary problems will go away

    I hope that your father selected an experienced surgeon, one who has done at least a few hundred surgeries, if robotic.

    At any rate good luck and a speedy recovery to your father. 

  • yankeefan
    yankeefan Member Posts: 69
    #3

    I suffered from bph for years before I was found to have prostate cancer. Depending on you Dad's age, I'd guess the bph was independent of the cancer. I was diagnosed with cancer in Feb and had a radical prostatectomy about 2 weeks ago. I was lucky in that the pathology report came back with everything negative. the biopsy showed one core with gleason 7. the pathology report had the primary module with a gleason 6. Now I'm just steadily recovering, but am hopeful the cancer is gone...though there are no guarantees. btw, my bph symptoms have gone away. Without a porstate my urine flow is great, I don't go nearly as often, and the urgency is even diminished....so there are some beneficial side effects for those of us who were suffereing from bph...

    wishing you dad the best....

     

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