Gleason 6; PSA 8.3; Stage 1 or 2.. concerned son looking for help

joeybacs
joeybacs Member Posts: 1
in Prostate Cancer #1
A concerned 21 year old son here is worried about his 57 year old dad.
He just got diagnosed with cancer a day ago. I'm so worried and concern about his health and I'm trying to look for the best CURE for him...

diagnosed with
Gleason 6;
PSA 8.3;
Stage 1 or 2

I've been reading a couple of topics here in the forum and can't find the best cure for him.

I'm also looking for the survival rate, is the cancer highly curable..
long term effect
short term effect.


I am so confused.. Can anyone please help me with my situation.. thanks.

Comments

  • tarhoosier
    tarhoosier Member Posts: 195 Member
    #2
    Son
    J:
    Welcome here. Please send your father here also. The details you present for your father are a bit confusing. Is he cT1 (psa only for referral to biopsy) or is he cT2 (some anomaly found on digital examination). If the first, and if fewer than 4 of the 12 biopsy samples were positive for G6, then no treatment may be necessary. Gleason 6 is a very different disease than Gleason 8-10. And should be treated as a different condition, as well.
    Biopsy results for your father raise the risk of you developing prostate cancer. Consider a psa at age 30 to develop a baseline for you and your doctor to follow.
  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,701 Member
    #3
    tarhoosier said:

    Son
    J:
    Welcome here. Please send your father here also. The details you present for your father are a bit confusing. Is he cT1 (psa only for referral to biopsy) or is he cT2 (some anomaly found on digital examination). If the first, and if fewer than 4 of the 12 biopsy samples were positive for G6, then no treatment may be necessary. Gleason 6 is a very different disease than Gleason 8-10. And should be treated as a different condition, as well.
    Biopsy results for your father raise the risk of you developing prostate cancer. Consider a psa at age 30 to develop a baseline for you and your doctor to follow.

    Let us know details from your findings
    Hi Joey

    I am sorry about your dad’s diagnosis. You may have read that Gleason score 6 is of a low risk type of cancer, but your daddy must decide in a way to control any advance of the cancer.
    To decide he needs other data from the pathologist report regarding the biopsy and results from image studies (CT, MRI, etc) as well as of any other finding (DRE, PAP, etc) his doctor have detected or obtained from blood analysis.

    You can help your dad by doing some researches yourself, reading books and investigating in reliable internet sites. However, the best advice is from the team of professionals assisting him in his case.
    Here is a book and site (and its links) with information you may want to read to understand your father’s diagnosis.
    Treatments are done aiming at cure but in low risk cases Watchful Waiting (AS) is also a option for controlling prostate cancer without enduring the treatment side effects.

    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/prostate/Patient/page1
    http://www.psa-rising.com/prostatecancer/staging.htm

    A “Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer” by Dr. Patrick Walsh; which may help you understanding diagnosis and the process of treatments.

    Hope this post is of help to you. Let us know details from your findings so that many here will give you advice in understanding your father’s case.

    Wishing you and your daddy luck in the decision.
    Welcome to the board.

    VGama
  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #4
    Good idea
    for your father to have a copy of all his records.

    Please post number of cores taken; number positive and the involvement of each(percent cancer.

    Historically what are his PSA readings........what is the trend...this is important.

    Treatment can depend on your fathers general health

    Did your father get a second opinion by an independent pathologist on the pathology of his biopsy so that he is not under or over treated?

    Having Prostate Cancer is not a death sentence, early dectected pc is highly treatable.
  • robert1
    robert1 Member Posts: 82
    #5
    Take a deep breath and start studying
    Hello Joey:

    I found myself in similar circumstances about 9 weeks ago. After exhautive study, I am on the verge of making a treatment decision. You and your Dad should do the homework together visiting all of his options.

    While cancer doesn't really take a break, your Dad's scores would indicate that you have some time to formulate a decision that is best for him. The guys here can really help.

    Best wishes to you and your Dad.

    Robert1

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