Active Surveillance continues; this is the way to go

Thank you for sharing your story because I am on the same track.  Over the course of the last year since being diagnosed in 7/2018 I have changed to a mostly plant based diet and the results have been dramatic.  Every single result of my blood test comes back normal except of course the PSA.  I have readily adopted this new lifestyle and actually enjoy being a lot healthier knowing my enhanced immune system is better equipped to attack the cancer and help keep it from growing.

I say good for you.  Eat healthy, stay healthy.  Active surveillance is definitely a viable treatment option and works for you.  Hopefully, I will be looking for your posts for another 10 years.  Good luck on your journey.

Ira,

I am very glad for your update on this tenth’s year since diagnosis in 2009. This latest results confirms that AS was the best option for you. Congratulations.

Your successful story serves to demonstrate to the many that one can live with the enemy and avoid the dreadful side effects of therapies. Your ten years as survivor of AS gives hope to the many following your steps. I hope that those with similar initial diagnosis consider also deeply this modality before deciding on a radical treatment.
You are now 76 which age made you absolute for some therapies. Surely the bandit is not expected to cause trouble but I wonder if you are still considering CyberKnife in case of any occurrence.

I and many here have been missing your posts. The subject regarding Active Surveillance has not been much discussed since your departure but I think that not much has changed in the principles of AS. I know that facts have driven you to other waters and that now you are involved in helping PCa patients at your community. I hope you continue posting us the updates.

Best wishes for continuing success.

VGama

How about a trip to Portugal to participate with me in our first marathon for prostate cancer awareness?

https://institutodaprostata.com/2019/07/noticias/divulgacao-de-patrocinadores-p-race/

I am in a similar situation.  Diagnosed about a year ago...3+3=6.  Been on active suvalience at U. of Chicago.  Next exam in a couple of months.  Just hoping nothing has grown.  

hopeful and optimistic said:

.

AS, I read your posts at this site and healingwell. I believe that you are very knowledgeable about prostate cancer and treatments. You selected a great institution for ttreatment...John Hopkins....a center of excellence....I'm being treated at UCLA.

I also, at this site,  argued with the surgery now group, who ignorantly advocated "cut it out",  over  treating eventhough science indicates otherwise. I found it stressful, so I am now very active at a local support group.......I plan to explore the healingwell site, and maybe post there.

SRoss....good luck at u of Chicago......can you share their protocol with us.

 

A/S and hopeful, you have both added vital information here over the years. You are to be applauded and congratulated.

ufknkidding said:

Gotta love science

I really considered active surveillance as my first treatment option since I had two hot cores with one 3+3=6 and the other 3+4=7.  Science currently seems to support active surveillance for gleason 6 or less so the one core of 3+4=7 was a factor in my decision.  PSAs were slightly above 4.  I had a MRI done which was somewhat poorly read but it appeared to show fairly diffuse cancer in the transition zone. It appears the cancer is confined to the gland and currently slow growing so it could be a viable option to wait and watch.  However, I factored in my age (low 50s) and current health realizing I should recover faster compared to if I waited until I was 15-30 years older due to body chemistry and slower healing processes.  I also factored in my family history with several fellas diagnosed with prostate cancer.  For me, I decided best to remove the gland now; unless I die on the OR table. Cancer is an interesting disease and abnormal cell growth can be very unpredictable. It could be slow growing for a time then become aggresively metastatic. You just never know however, your commitment to routine labs, biopsies, and doctor visits gives you a pretty good chance of detecting a change in the disease.  Thank you for participating in the research project and best wishes.

So I am 9 days post RARP (RIP my dear prostate) and 1 day post cath removal (OMG). The surgeon and I talked about my post-surgery pathology report which I must admit totally blew me away.  In the very beginning after noticing my PSAs were going above 4 then dropping back down I committed to annual PSA checks.  I was experiencing what I thought were some BPH issues as my prostate was enlarging, which seems to be normal as men age.  I have a positive family history for prostate cancer so that was a major factor in all of my decisions.  After I had a recent PSA in the high 5 range, I decided to have a biopsy at the recommendation of my surgeon. I followed his advice and found I had two hot cores (3+3=6 and 3+4=7). For the Gleason 3+4=7, approximately 50% of one of one needle (5% pattern 4).  I thought, only 5%, well maybe I should do A/S.  But the current literature seems to indicate A/S for gleasons 6 or lower.  So next I had an MRI done and thought it was poorly read because it was indicating there was diffiuse cancer in the transition zone. (Sorry my radiologist, you were right!)  I thought, so an imaging study looking at shaded areas is suggesting I may have more cancer than a biopsy with a pathology study where somebody puts their eyes to look for cellular change. How can that be?  Ya, I understand a needle may actually miss cancer if it doesn't go through the cancerous areas but I was hopeful that I could wait out this cancer thing. And I began to shrug off the MRI all the way to a couple hours before my surgery (almost cancelling my surgery) because I figured biopsy trumps MRI.  But together, along with elevated PSAs, they were indicating I had cancer, Grade Group 2 (Gleason 3+4=7) and I should take some action.  So I elected RARP a week ago all the while struggling with should I even treat.  But my family history kept coming up in my mind. Then yesterday my surgeon reviewed the post-surgery path report where the pathologist takes the removed gland and slices and dices it.  My report indicated that approximately 35% of my prostate was involved.  Signifcantly more than the first path report where 5% had been identified.  Fortunately I don't appear to have extra-prostatic extension so it's confined to the gland which is now gone.  So I thought I would share my story so newly diagnosed individuals will considered everything along the way.  I still agree A/S is a great option for Gleasons 6 or less until data and science proves otherwise, but I'm not so sure about including that as a viable option for Gleasons 7.  Clearly there is no one size fits all here.  Newly diagnosed? Please read, research, review, and consider everything including your family history.

Hopeful - I'm very happy that you continue to get excellent reports as you continue your journey on AS. Your posts provide invaluable imformation for all of us impacted by prostate cancer. Yes, we all have differing diagnoses and details that are uniquely ours. But your story (and those of others here that choose AS) are reminders of alternatives many may never know about without your efforts. 

My appreciation to you H&O, as well as continued best wishes. I raise my glass!