How fast does untreated metastised PC tumors spread

bassoneman
bassoneman Member Posts: 58
in Prostate Cancer #1

I am trying to make a informed decision if I can.  After a bone scan and xray and MRI they found a tumor in my forearm ( ulner bone marrow) now it is not in a normal place for mets..  But none of the doctors can say for sure it is not. It could be atypical as they keep saying. But also in the same breath they say it may not be.. So I have a desicion to make..  the location of the tumor I am told from two orthopedic surgeons that the biopsy they would have to do would be a open biopsy.. Cutting my arm and drilling a hole into the tumor.  Both Dr.s told me that I may experince nerve damage and may effect some use of my hand..  Now.. the other side to this is this also has a good chance of being benign since more than not bone tumors are benign.  Also it could be some other type of cancer..  So my delemia is do I wait 10 weeks have tests to see if it has grown or do I have the biopsy now and find out exactly what it is and deal with it..  If it is mets will it spread fast . I am not on Hormone treatment due to cardiac issues. I finished up 40 radation treatments in May Geason score 7 3+4 2 cores out of 12 50%  2- 6 's 10% . Prior to the bone scan  they didn't think it spread out side the prostate PSA 4.9 went to 4.6 after Radiation.. Having a PSA test next week... Also waiting on myloma test results....

Comments

  • GeorgeG
    GeorgeG Member Posts: 152
    #2
    More than one doctor told me

    More than one doctor told me that on average, once metastatic disease would be confirmed you have 5 years left. Of course there are reults significantly different than that average. I have no experience with the metastatic process so I have little to offer. If it were me I would want to know what the downside would be to wait and see where PSA and future scans are heading. IOW, will it change the outcome much to wait vs verify and hitting it immediately because that can make a dramatic improvement in the outcome. STated another way, I would want to know how risky it is not to identify and try to stop the spread.

    We are going through this very dilema with my wifes potential recurrent thyroid cancer and we opted for AS, at least for now because there is little downside risk to monitor the new unidentified lesion.

     

    George

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    edited August 2017 #3
    Different cancers spread differently

    The speed of spread of PCa in bone depends on the type of the cells. Aggressive ones would spread faster. However, your question relates to the lesion found in your arm which tumour type has not been identified yet. Different cancers spread differently too.

    I assume that the issue at the arm is important to you as it may affect your life playing the bass so that I would suggest that you do nothing for the moment but keep vigilant. If that deteriorates then you need firstly to identify the cancer (if any) and decide on a therapy that can involve chemo plus spot radiation.

    VG

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,530 Member
    #4
    Just wait

    I agree with Vasco that waiting appears to be the best course of action for now because you really don't know what the mass in your arm is.  The upcoming PSA test result hopefully will put your concerns to rest.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #5
    VascodaGama said:

    Different cancers spread differently

    The speed of spread of PCa in bone depends on the type of the cells. Aggressive ones would spread faster. However, your question relates to the lesion found in your arm which tumour type has not been identified yet. Different cancers spread differently too.

    I assume that the issue at the arm is important to you as it may affect your life playing the bass so that I would suggest that you do nothing for the moment but keep vigilant. If that deteriorates then you need firstly to identify the cancer (if any) and decide on a therapy that can involve chemo plus spot radiation.

    VG

    Curious

    Bass,

    I am interested in what your bass instrument is, and what genre you play. I was trained throughout youth on acoustic and rhythm guitar, but my level of neuropathy has me thinking of learning bass for fun.  I am considering a Musicman Stingray.  I may be too messed up to play anything at this point.

    I would have the biopsy now if it were me.  Various bone and blood cancers can be fast-moving and deadly; I know from my time with advance Lymphoma.  I am not suggesting that you do have one of these (it actually seems improbable), but I err on the side of vigelence and caution.

    max

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #6
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 said:

    Curious

    Bass,

    I am interested in what your bass instrument is, and what genre you play. I was trained throughout youth on acoustic and rhythm guitar, but my level of neuropathy has me thinking of learning bass for fun.  I am considering a Musicman Stingray.  I may be too messed up to play anything at this point.

    I would have the biopsy now if it were me.  Various bone and blood cancers can be fast-moving and deadly; I know from my time with advance Lymphoma.  I am not suggesting that you do have one of these (it actually seems improbable), but I err on the side of vigelence and caution.

    max

    Bass

    MAx' The Upright I play is a Shen with gut strings..  I can play almost any genre but I lean to 1950's rockin Roll or rockabilly that it is know as.  I am also in a Johnny Cash Tribute band..  I also play the slab bass.. Just sold a rickenbacker (too heavy) and bought a gibson..  But I play the slab rarely.. The upright is very physical beast..  Specially when you are slapping it..  So this thing in my arm has me kind of worried.. I am starting to get a slight pain in the area but it may be in my head..  I have also been waiting for the results of a SPEP test since August 3 to rule out myloma. Called Dr today they are still waiting on the test.. I will have a PSA test tommorow so I should know the results of that Thursday or Friday.. A great insturment to try is a Ukelee.. Seriosly it is a lot of fun to play, Doesn't take too much dexterity and really easy to learn. And you don't need a whole room to store it.. haha

        

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #7
    bassoneman said:

    Bass

    MAx' The Upright I play is a Shen with gut strings..  I can play almost any genre but I lean to 1950's rockin Roll or rockabilly that it is know as.  I am also in a Johnny Cash Tribute band..  I also play the slab bass.. Just sold a rickenbacker (too heavy) and bought a gibson..  But I play the slab rarely.. The upright is very physical beast..  Specially when you are slapping it..  So this thing in my arm has me kind of worried.. I am starting to get a slight pain in the area but it may be in my head..  I have also been waiting for the results of a SPEP test since August 3 to rule out myloma. Called Dr today they are still waiting on the test.. I will have a PSA test tommorow so I should know the results of that Thursday or Friday.. A great insturment to try is a Ukelee.. Seriosly it is a lot of fun to play, Doesn't take too much dexterity and really easy to learn. And you don't need a whole room to store it.. haha

        

    ukulele

    I love playing my ukuleles...........I'm an  amateur, play with other ukulele players in a group, (we call ourselves "the G strings",  and entertain at various senior facilities, hospitals, etc.....mosty play music from the 20ties.....( guitar players, who developed dexterity problems are now ukulele players)

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #8
    bassoneman said:

    Bass

    MAx' The Upright I play is a Shen with gut strings..  I can play almost any genre but I lean to 1950's rockin Roll or rockabilly that it is know as.  I am also in a Johnny Cash Tribute band..  I also play the slab bass.. Just sold a rickenbacker (too heavy) and bought a gibson..  But I play the slab rarely.. The upright is very physical beast..  Specially when you are slapping it..  So this thing in my arm has me kind of worried.. I am starting to get a slight pain in the area but it may be in my head..  I have also been waiting for the results of a SPEP test since August 3 to rule out myloma. Called Dr today they are still waiting on the test.. I will have a PSA test tommorow so I should know the results of that Thursday or Friday.. A great insturment to try is a Ukelee.. Seriosly it is a lot of fun to play, Doesn't take too much dexterity and really easy to learn. And you don't need a whole room to store it.. haha

        

    Upright

    Uprights seem to be making a small comeback since Leo Fender introduced the bass guitar in 1950.  Country and folk never left the uprights, of course (Zac Brown, Mumford and Sons both always have upright bassists).  Jazz has largely stayed upright also.  Most say good uprights have a sound slabs cannot duplicate, even with pickups.

    I hope all results are negative,

    max

     

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    edited August 2017 #9
    SPEP Test results negative woot woot

    I got the SPEP test results back last night Alpha 2 was at 55 so that was low so they did a immunofixation electrophoresis which turned out No
    monoclonalgamma paraprotein detected in this pattern.. Another words no multiple myloma...  That makes me a happy camper..  My close friend has multiple myloma diagnosed 4 years ago.. 

    I have been watching him go through his treatments.. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy...  So i still don't know what the tumor in the my Left Ulner bone marrow  is but I know what it isn't..  

     

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #10
    hopeful and optimistic said:

    ukulele

    I love playing my ukuleles...........I'm an  amateur, play with other ukulele players in a group, (we call ourselves "the G strings",  and entertain at various senior facilities, hospitals, etc.....mosty play music from the 20ties.....( guitar players, who developed dexterity problems are now ukulele players)

    Ukes are fun

    I just gave my oldest son mine he has now got his girl friend playing it also..  Breeze to learn.. And great to sing with..  Helps take the mind off the the PCa and what ever else ails you....

    May be a clinical trial is in order......

     

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #11
    Good news... PSA down to 2.3

    This all started when my PSA hit 4.9  than after right after 40 treatments of radiation went to 4.6  Now 4 month pass 2.3psa..  Hope that means the tumor in my arm isn't PSa.. 

     

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #12
    A lower PSA does not warrant clean PCa mets

    I do not recall your initial status and treatment protocol, but surely having a lower PSA after treatment it means success. In any case, a lower PSA does not warrant clean PCa mets. The issue at your arm is still questionable. If you had RT alone the decrease of the PSA usually takes longer to get to a nadir and many guys experience bounce seeing the PSA going up before it declines for good.

    Best,

    VG

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #13
    The Waiting Game

    Got about 4 weeks left for the recheck of the tumor in my arm (ulner) to see if it has grown.. Still don't know if it is benign, or if it is Mets or what it is..  This is one of those things you are damned if you do and maybe damned if you don't..  If I have biopsy of unler I could lose  some use of my left hand due to proximity of nerve bundles ( never mind the Ulner Artery)  But then to have something possibly growing in you isn't one of the best things to think about..  I had my follow up for the prostate radiation with the Radiation onclogist last week.. I showed him Xray and MRI he just said take it slow. Don't get cut up if you don't need to..  He couldn't tell what it is.. Except for it is a tumor in my bone marrow.  I have pain but very minimal like a 2 all the time.. Wish I could tell my brain it is nothing and just move on, nothing to see here...   It is giving me a diffrent perspective on life..  Be kind to people.. you have no idea what they are going through..   

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #14
    This stuff is getting old

    September 2016 I have melenoma removed from my back, december 16 a begnign tumor removed out of my essophogus..Had to wait two weeks for results, january 2017 told I have prostate cancer 3+4.. Finished radiation in May 17.  June after going in for a problem with my hip Athritis Dr decideds to do a bone scan.. Tumor in ulner shows up. Now waiting to see if it is growing before biopsy.. Dr App October.  August 2017 get this nasty cough have it for 6 weeks After seeing my primary yesterday he orders a chest  XRay, done today.  Two hours later DR office call to schedule appoint for Tuesday AM . This can't be good..if it was due to a cold or brochal stuff  he would have just called in a script( Mom and Brother died of Lung Cancer) I am affaid to have any more tests.. They keep finding stuff..  I want to crawl under a desk.. 

  • bassoneman
    bassoneman Member Posts: 58
    #15
    Update...Still waiting on tumor in arm but keep having good news

    I still haven't had biopsy on the tumor in the bone marrow on my left forearm Ulna.. That could be be atypical mets.. But i got good news a couple of weeks ago.. It didn't seem to grow larger and yesterday my PSA is down to 2.0 from 2.4 3 months ago so that is coming down after 40 treatments of rpostate radiation..  So still waiting..  All my blood test are coming back normal..  So not as worried as I was... My next ortho onclogist appointment is next month. But it seems to have been a good choice on waiting to do biopsy seeing it could affect the use of my left hand..   

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