New to this and pretty lost

Brenda_ca said:

Thank you
Thank you so much for your quick reply.
The first urologist was talking about surgery as the option and we see the second Urologist next week.

It was the left apex lat. with a score of 8 measuring 5mm (45% of tissue) involving 2 of 2 segments. To me that just looks like one area with all of the others benign. But the Gleason number is up there & PSA is so high (and going up) that I can't make sense of it.

Thank you again!

laserlight said:

Brenda
It is real hard to make sense of this. I was diagnosed in Jan of 2011 and am still trying to make sense. This is a blow and I went thru a lot myself. My wife has been a great support in this and has kept things straight. Again the PSA numbers need to be looked at, but can be misleading. So donot let this be the only factor in trying to determine treatment. Keep in mind that this is cancer. Having another urologist looking at this is good. I had the surgery because I felt that this was the best treatment method, but my cancer was confined to the prostate at the time. This cancer can be aggressive in a younger male, There are treatment methods that donot involve surgery. My advice is to investigate. The urologist wants to treat and for the most part remove the cancer right away. In some cases this is the only way to go. There are other methods that might work just fine without surgery. Get the second opinion. And above all keep doing research. Hope this helps. Try and stay calm

Kongo said:

Gleason 8
Brenda,

Welcome to the forum and I am so sorry that you and your fiancé find yourselves in this difficult situation when you ought to be concentrating on happier things.

As you know, a Gleason 8 score indicates an aggressive, serious cancer diagnosis. Despite such a difficult diagnosis there are many treatment options that can be very effective in treating this disease. Mainly the treatment options include surgical removal of the prostate, some form of radiation, and hormone therapy. Often hormone therapy is used in combination with either radiation or surgery.

Each of the treatment methods have the potential for side effects that can affect urinary continence, sexual function, and other quality of life factors. Some treatment methods can potentially have a more adverse effect on quality of life than others. Everything is a trade off in one way or another and the scientists have yet to come up with a magic bullet that can make prostate cancer go away.

I think it is very savvy to seek second opinions. I think you should have the biopsy slides read by a pathologist that specializes in prostate cancer as well as this diagnosis is so very important to choosing the best treatment method. Many men send their biopsy slides to Johns Hopkins for a second opinion. Your fiancé's doctor can explain how to do this. When seeking second opinions, I discovered that urologists almost always recommend surgery. That's what they are trained in and that's what they do. Radiation oncologists almost always recommend some form of radiation. An oncologist specializes in the use of hormone therapy and chemotherapy and they can best advise you on the pros and cons of those therapies. I would suggest that besides additional urologists, that you take the time to also consult with radiation oncologists and oncologists that specialize in prostate cancer. Don't be surprised if you get radically different recommendations from these experts. At the end of the day your fiancé will have to make the difficult decision on how to proceed and he needs as much knowledge and differing opinions as possible so he can properly weigh the pros and cons of each treatment and gauge the impact on quality of life.

Kurt has given you some sound advice. I'm sure others with an advanced prostate cancer diagnosis will also contribute. One thing that is closely related to this is the emotional support your fiancé needs at this time. Prostate cancer affects the center of what makes him a man. The potential to lose continence and sexual function at this stage in his life, not to mention coming face-to-face with his own mortality can be both frightening and highly depressing. Don't be surprised if he takes a ride on an emotional roller coaster in the next several weeks and months. He will need your support and understanding to make it through to the other side.

I do hope you encourage him to join the forum as well. Many men find it helpful to be able to communicate with other men who have gone through or are going through a similar situation. I would also recommend that you research prostate cancer support groups in your local area. The urologist ought to be able to recommend some and most hospitals and other treatment centers also can direct you in the right direction.

Best of luck to you both.

K

hunter49 said:

When you had your surgery
When you had your surgery was it contained or had it already escaped?

Samsungtech1 said:

Test to see if it is contained?
Unfortunately my memory is suffering a bit. I am sure people on this site have talked about a test to see if it is contained. If someone could tell her about this test it would be great. They need to do this as it would greatly help in their decision making. I had RP, lost all, and found out it was in the bladder. Found out later that my original x-ray showed nodule in lung. My urologist was positive it wouldnot go to lungs. Enough about me. We need to help this lady.