New - Surgery vs Radiation? I Need Help deciding.

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gcurtis
gcurtis Member Posts: 1 Member
in Prostate Cancer #1

Surgery or Radiation?? - My Question. My results:

MRI - adenocarcinoma in 3/12 biopsy samples 50, 5, 1% of total tissue, Gleason score 4+3, Group 3 in all, on right lobe. 2 lesions decreased ADC signal (P4) in both. No evidence (with contrasting dye and without) of spread outside prostate. I am awaiting decipher test results (hormone therapy TBD).

in consultation with Urologist (surgeon) and Radiation Oncologists - recommend Surgery or Radiation. My choice - Surgery or Radiation. Both have equal success of cure based on current information. They said given my health, I should have no problem with recovery from surgery or in response to rad treatment.

History: PSA went 8.9 (Nov 2021) from 4 in 2014. I am 69 in very good health. I plan to continue a predominantly vegetarian diet, with No red meat.

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  • centralPA
    centralPA Member Posts: 261 Member
    #2
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    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/324711/new-surgery-vs-radiation-i-need-help-deciding

    If both are equal success of cure, then it is all about the side effects. A technique we use in military planning is to lay out the best case, worst case, and most likely case. Gather that information, and hopefully your decision will emerge. Best of luck!

  • Clevelandguy
    Clevelandguy Member Posts: 1,019 Member
    edited January 2022 #3
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    Hi,

    Like central pa said it’s really up to you after you do a complete workup(MRI, Bone &PET scan) to see if your cancer has spread past your Prostate. No use doing surgery in my opinion if the cancer has spread outside the Prostate. 4+3 is on the aggressive side so you want to know what’s going on and where the cancer is located. Your doctors are right, surgery or radiation will hopefully cure your cancer. Study the facts, talk with your family and team of doctors. The side effects for either choice could be mild or severe based on your choice of a great facility and doctor team, it really does matter. Second opinions from a different hospital network and set of doctors might not be a bad idea. Don't make it a crap shoot, let the facts lead you to the proper decision for you. I have included a info link for you to look at.

    https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/treating.html

    Dave 3+4

  • lighterwood67
    lighterwood67 Member Posts: 379 Member
    edited January 2022 #4
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    Equal success of cure. You need to evaluate the procedures to get to cure. As already said both can have side effects. I can speak to surgery as I had a RP in March 2018. The prostate , seminal vesicles, sections of urethra, 8 lymph nodes, bladder neck reconstruction, inner urinary sphincter were removed or reconstructed, at this time my PSA is undetectable; I am continent; I am intimate with my wife. Sperm will be produced and absorbed by the body. You will no longer have an ejaculation. Some of the needed parts are no longer there. You may lose some urine during orgasm. Be sure to urinate every drop if possible before sex. You may feel like there has been a shortening in length of the penis due to sections of the urethra being removed. If they remove lymph nodes, they may seal with surgical clips which will stay with you the rest of your life. You are doing your homework. This path to cure is not as simplistic as it looks. The decision is yours. Hope this helps. Best of luck on your journey.

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