Active Surveillance continues

hopeful and optimistic
hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
edited August 2016 in Prostate Cancer #1

Results are back

 

Total 19 cores taken

Positive Prostate Biopsy Cores in Target Biopsies:

(these cores were prior positives in systematic biopsies)

Gleason 3+4=7  4mm  (5 % Gleason pattern 4) occupying 30% of biopsy tissue

Gleason Grade 3+3=6 involving 1 of 2 cores, measuring 1 mm, occupying 5% of biopsy tissue

Gleason Grade 3+3=6 invoving 1 of 1 core, measuring 2.5 mm, occupying 10% of biopsy tissue

 

Positive Biopsy Cores in Systematic Biopsies  

None

PSA  4/19/16

PSA, Total   4.7

PSA, % Free   19

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    #2
    Peace of mind for added two years

    Ira,

    The subject of your thread confirms your wish in continuing with AS. Congratulations on that. These last exam results have not alter since the last ones: three cores positive with similar grades. I wonder about the present PSA. The one you describe is from April, though it took it 6 years (72 months) for doubling. The involvement percentage of the core with grade 4 is now 30%, a slightly bigger value than the one before but this is irrelevant as it is conditional to any tiny angle the needle may have taken this time.

    Best wishes

    VG

      

     

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,530 Member
    #3
    Great report!

    More to follow, I hope

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #4
    .

    Thanks for the comments. 

    I'm very happy with the results.

    Posted, so new men reading this can have an example of a long term survival with AS.

  • Rakendra
    Rakendra Member Posts: 197 Member
    #5
    Exactly

    Congratualtions.  you are correct in saying that long term surivival, and even high quality life, can be available, sometimes in even what seems to be the most difficult cases.  Keep up the good work.  love, swami rakendra

  • Will Doran
    Will Doran Member Posts: 207 Member
    #6
    Congratulations

    H & O,

    Congratulations on your latest test results.  Best wishes for continued results like this.  You are in my thoughts and prayers.

    Peace and God Bless

    Will

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    edited August 2016 #7
    I am happy for you too.
    VG

    I am happy for you too.

    VG

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #8
    .

    Thanks again

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    edited August 2016 #9
    hopeful and optimistic said:

    .

    Thanks again

    Blessings continue

    Hopeful and Optimistic,

    When I had the need to begin here at the Prostate Board about three years ago, you were one of the Pillars of this community, and the Voice of detailed information on Active Survelliance.  You stilll are: May that continue to be the case for the next twenty years.  While A/S was not best suited to me, you have helped innumerable men here, some who have written, some who have not.

    max

  • CC52
    CC52 Member Posts: 105 Member
    edited August 2016 #10
    Fantastic News

    I'd like to echo the sentiments of Max, and congratulate you on the results. May it continue this way for many years to come. Thanks again for all the good work you do here at the forum. 

    A toast to you H&O!!

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    edited August 2016 #11
    .

    Thanks for the kind words.................I hope that all of us will be healthy and active for many years to come.

  • Swingshiftworker
    Swingshiftworker Member Posts: 1,017 Member
    #12
    Continued Good Luck!

    I never considered active surveillance.  I know that I could not continue to live w/a Gleason 7 diagnosis w/o "doing something" about it and marvel at your (H&O's) ability to do so.  Here's wishing you continued good luck in this regard! 

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    edited August 2016 #13
    Swingshiftworker said:

    Continued Good Luck!

    I never considered active surveillance.  I know that I could not continue to live w/a Gleason 7 diagnosis w/o "doing something" about it and marvel at your (H&O's) ability to do so.  Here's wishing you continued good luck in this regard! 

    Thanks

    My doc tells me that I have a small amount of  Gleason 4,and am eligible to continue with AS.....I guess that it's true since I had 6 biopsies, and approximately 100 cores..(.I wonder how much of my prostate is left, lol).

    At any rate, I am 73 now, and centers of excellence such as John Hopkins, and UCLA routinely continue patients with Active Surveillance with 3+4=7, who are older than 70.

    It's interesting about perspective....when I was first diagnosed, I was afraid to have treatment, especially surgery.......at that time, I didn't know very much about cyberknife...............if I am treated cyberknife is  my choice

  • Butch1969
    Butch1969 Member Posts: 25
    edited September 2016 #14
    Active Surveylance

    Active surveylance is a crock of bull.   The cancer could evolve over night.  Do the radiation and the seeds and kill it it.  Sure some people don't have to worry about slow growing PC.  But, are you one ?  Maybe and maybe not.  And when you find out you're not then you're in deep trouble.  So I think pro-active is the way to go.  Surgery at a young age and radiation and seeds for the older guys.  And the radiation/seeds is a breeze.   The hormone shots are not a problem ( mostly annoying ).  In humble opinion just get it done and forget active surveylence. Which I think is for the birds.

  • VascodaGama
    VascodaGama Member Posts: 3,707 Member
    edited September 2016 #15
    Butch; Let's agree to disagree. We are all asymptomatic initialy

    I do not think that your comments would change anything in Hopeful's wishes. His 6 years on Active Surveillance fits his case and he is an example that many would love to follow but has not the guts to do it. "AS" does not equal to "doing nothing" or even it doesn't imply a careless way to treat PCa. It involves a sort of a "military-like regimen" of harsh vigilance along the years, before the patient commits to one of the therapies you are suggesting, if ever. And this is where AS patients become the winners; they can enjoy quality living free of the risks of radical treatments and the side effects while actively monitoring any advancement of the disease, apart from gaining the opportunity of choosing among the newer and better techniques of treatments which were nonexistent at the time of their diagnosis.

    I agree that we should be pro-active (your words) when found with the cancer but that includes AS along with the radicals. The old method of WW (Watchful Waiting) which mainly signified to treat when symptoms emerged, is now absolute and changed into the regimen of constant tests and exams (AS motto). This is the modern way of thinking since the start of the symptomless high PSA age. We all agree to treat but the timing is controversial. Earlier does not guaranty cure. Delaying treatment is also controversy and puts those who believe in "AS" against those would believe in "Symptoms firstly" (WW). This is a matter for discussion by the new US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in charge of re-evaluating the PSA Testing decision of 2012. Please read this;

    http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/862845

    Best wishes,

    VGama

  • neilm
    neilm Member Posts: 58 Member
    #16
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/305001/active-surveillance-continues

    Hi Hopeful,

    I know your post is ancient but if you are out there I would like to know how things are going? Could you possibly still be on AS? I have a situation very similar to what yours was in 2016. I have a few cores of 3+3 and less than 5% of 1 core 3+4. My Urologist/Oncologist says AS would be good for me. It seems you have long since started down that road. I would greatly enjoy hearing from you if you get this.

    Neil

  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    edited December 2023 #17

    Hi Neil, You certainly did a lot of research, going back to 2016; good for you

    I am still in an active surveillance protocol, since 3/2009. I am 80 years old now.

    Not only am I interested in Active Surveillance, but all aspects of prostate cancer, and regularly study about the disease.

    During the last few years, along with a retired urologist, I moderate two support group a month; one for newly diagnosed patients, and another one for sharing by patients with advanced disease. These groups are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5pm pacific time via zoom at the prostate forum of Orange County. Website prostateforum.org. Free, no charge. I will be happy to directly answer any and all of your question based on my experience and research, the information that you may wish to bring your medical team.

    Happy holidays to Vasco, and other at this site who regularly change and save lives for men; “it’s been a since I posted here, however I do view the site

  • neilm
    neilm Member Posts: 58 Member
    #18
    https://csn.cancer.org/discussion/comment/1711051#Comment_1711051

    Thank You Hopeful,

    I just received my latest PSA at 9.65 nearly double from the spring. I may be in need of definitive treatment after all. I will be on your call next Tuesday.


    Thanks Again

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