All kinds of people, all kinds of FNHL

A remarkable story, GKH, especially since so many of the NHLs are so aggressive and kill quickly.

I am now working on my prostate cancer, and a very common approach to that, when it is indolent disease in older men, is "Watchful Waiting" -- just continuing to monitor the situation, until it becomes dangerous. This can last years or even decades, with some men NEVER needing treatment.

At 58, I am clinically a little too young, and must do radiation or surgical removal, but it is interesting to note that some cancers are indeed very slow-moving.

Every man 50 years of age or older should have an annual PSA.  I have learned that prostate cancer is essentially "the breast cancer of men": a hormonally-driven cancer that needs to be watched out for; the PSA is mens' version of the mamo, in effect.

 Do it !

max

Rocquie said:

Interesting, GKH

It is interesting, indeed, to learn of the different manisfestations and treatments of the same disease--follicular NHL. You just cited a case of long term watch and wait. We have members here, who have taken a milder form of chemo R-CVP,  some who have taken Rituxan only, some Radioimmunotherapy. Some of our members have taken one of the treatments mentioned, had recurrances, and are now on watch and wait. Others with recurrances are moving into another line of treatment. 

My own FNHL did transform into an aggressive form, thus I had to do the much more intense chemo regimen, R-CHOP. 

I have learned much more about lymphoma than I ever wanted to know. I hope you are living well. . .

Rocquie

 

I was pointing out that breast and prostate cancer have many similiarites. Regarding PSA, my (clear) point was that the PSA does toward diagnosis what a mamo does toward diagnosing breast caner. I made no comment regarding the brief experience of conducting the test itself.

No rational person would suggest or believe that they are in any sense identical.  A prostate bio is undoubtedly much more painful than a mamo, but who can say ?  Some men have had breast cancer, and perhaps they required mamos -- I am not sure. (The drummer of the group Kiss, for instance).  But, if one or the other is worse, who can do anything about that ?

My cousin just had both breasts and ovaries removed as a preventative, due to being positive for the BRAC 1 (87% likelihood of aggressive breast cancer for women who have the defective gene).  Horrible to imagie, but she is fine now, a few months later.

There is no prostate "run for the cure," no ribbon, no foundations. But, I am thnakful for what there is, and will not lament what is not.   But, there is great progress and numerous new drugs. My friend who I nursed to his death with it last year took all of these, and they added most likely a year to his life.  He was able to hit a lot of bars and car shows with that extra time.

One of the saddest similiarites is that neither breast nor prostate is curable in stage 4, and both use the SAME chemo, taxotere, as an Adjuvant (front end application) and as a pallative (end-stage, slowing agent).

Ultimately, no painful disease or death is "comparable" to any other; I just noted several remarkable medical similiarites between these two.

unknown said:

Breast vs Prostate Cancers

i was looking at statistics. 1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Many in the medical world believe tha ALL men eventually get prostate cancer. Plus men can get breast cancer but women do not even have a prostate. In my family none of the women except my wife have had breast cancer. My father, my grandfather, one of my 2 brothers, my father in law, aa brother-in-law nd 4 uncles have had prostate cancer. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing. Apples are still apples and oranges are still oranges and neither affects the price of tea in China. That said, I do see the point Max is making and I consider it valid. 

Now let's talk lymphoma. Can the drugs that Max took for Hodgkins have caused or contributed to his prostate cancer?

GKH,

I know of no r-abvd/prostate cancer link.  The radiation oncologist whom I met with Monday knows my medical history, and did not mention it.  Adriamycin can cause heart failure for up to ten years after treatment, increases chances of later leukemias; Bleomycin causes lung toxicity in 10% of patients (like me). But there is no recognized prostate link.  As you noted, everyone gets it anyway. Over 40% of all men 70 or older biopsied for it during autopsy have some prostate cancer present. At age 80, that percentage goes much higher, but I forget the exact figure.

Fortunately it is slow-moving, and usually no threat to older men, simply due to life expectancy. The trade statement made by urologists is that "you die with prostate cancer, not from it."

I won't be discussing this type cancer here any further, but all of course are welcome at my other CSN home.