Looking for answers

Tracy,

Although this reading is certainly high nothing is for certain at this point. I highly suspect the Dr will sugest your Dad have a biopsy to make a determination of the exact cause. The biopsy will be done through the rectum and will not be extremely painful.

I will keep your Father in my prayers and hope you will keep us updated on what comes from the Doctor's visit.

Roger

Hello Tracy, I'm 52 and had a radical prostatectemy Oct 2004. I was in good health like your father and my PSA went from 8.4 to 13.6 in about six months. A biopsy revealed that I had PC so I went to three specialists in the Boston area where I live. I decided on surgery by Dr. McGovern at Mass General Hospital and I was impressed with his 22 year history of just doing this proceedure. He did nerve sparing and I am doing very well. Two years out, I am doing fine with very livable consequences from the surgery. I feel as though a few small sacrifices are a small price for what my doctor says: "I should expect to live a long life".

I had two biopsies before the cancer was detected. The first was very unpleasant so I requested more medication prior to the second one so that the doctor could do an efficient job at getting the twelve random samples from my prostate. Keep in mind that your dad hasn't been diagnosed with cancer but his high PSA is concerning. Like Roger, I would highly suspect that your dad's doctor will schedule a biopsy. Good luck with everything and keep your spirits up and learn as much as you can. The more you know the better prepared you will be and the more easily you can make all the right decisions if they are needed. I would be happy to correspond with your dad or you if I can be of further support.

Peter

Tracy,

My father is 60 years old and has had a clean bill of health. However, in December 06 my father went to his doctor for his yearly physical. That is when we discovered my fathers PSA levels went from 2 to 6. The doctor suggested a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive. So we had to start doing research. At the point of his biopsy we had several indicators 1 - PSA of 6 2- Gleason score of 3+3= 6 and Stage T1, which indicates slow growing PC cancer . Once we digested that information it was a long two week wait for his blood test results, bone and abdomine scan to see if the prostate cancer had spread beyond the prostate. Thankfully, it did not materialize into the bone or organs. We live on the east coast (NY) and did a lot of research on types of surgery (options) and do to my fathers age, stage of pc and health robotic sergory was ideal. So we did a lot of research and found doctor Tawari in NY. We visted him on January 4, 2007 and after his review of my fathers records it appears that the cancer is within the prostate. However, there is a 30% chance that it escaped the prostate to neighboring tissue and nerve cells. If this is that case then more removal of tissue and nerves will have to be removed. However, the doctor said that it is his educated guess it that my father will live a long healthy life. We scheduled the sergory for February and prior to that my father has to get an MRI done of his prosate. The doctor we selected has done 1600 hundred robtic sergory's and continues to do 9 every week. Now we will have to wait and see. I hope everything turns out ok for you dad. If you need any information just email me. This process is very new to me as well. But this webite is a great source of information and the people are great. good luck..

concernedson said:

Tracy,

My father is 60 years old and has had a clean bill of health. However, in December 06 my father went to his doctor for his yearly physical. That is when we discovered my fathers PSA levels went from 2 to 6. The doctor suggested a biopsy. The biopsy came back positive. So we had to start doing research. At the point of his biopsy we had several indicators 1 - PSA of 6 2- Gleason score of 3+3= 6 and Stage T1, which indicates slow growing PC cancer . Once we digested that information it was a long two week wait for his blood test results, bone and abdomine scan to see if the prostate cancer had spread beyond the prostate. Thankfully, it did not materialize into the bone or organs. We live on the east coast (NY) and did a lot of research on types of surgery (options) and do to my fathers age, stage of pc and health robotic sergory was ideal. So we did a lot of research and found doctor Tawari in NY. We visted him on January 4, 2007 and after his review of my fathers records it appears that the cancer is within the prostate. However, there is a 30% chance that it escaped the prostate to neighboring tissue and nerve cells. If this is that case then more removal of tissue and nerves will have to be removed. However, the doctor said that it is his educated guess it that my father will live a long healthy life. We scheduled the sergory for February and prior to that my father has to get an MRI done of his prosate. The doctor we selected has done 1600 hundred robtic sergory's and continues to do 9 every week. Now we will have to wait and see. I hope everything turns out ok for you dad. If you need any information just email me. This process is very new to me as well. But this webite is a great source of information and the people are great. good luck..

Dr Tewari is located at Presybertian Hospital in New York or Manhattan island in New York. I had surgery with Dr Tewari July 14,2006 ( see my other post for Post operation with Dr Tewari. late July) He is the premier Doctor and is a great man also. I was continent the day my catheter was removed and have been since. Dr Tewari number is 212 746-5638. I was completely happy with him and would do the same surgery with him again. I traveled from Dallas Texas to see him for surgery. If you have any questions email me directly, I posted my email on my previous posts. Good Luck.

tracydadms said:

My dad is self employed he has no health insurance.Do you know if there is any help any where for high risk.He was turned down today for one due to high blood pressure.And we know it is fixing to get really costly.
Thanks Tray

Tracy, check Costco and Sams. They are selling medical insurance and it suppose to be very inexpensive. Check it out and let me know.

lardog said:

Dr Tewari is located at Presybertian Hospital in New York or Manhattan island in New York. I had surgery with Dr Tewari July 14,2006 ( see my other post for Post operation with Dr Tewari. late July) He is the premier Doctor and is a great man also. I was continent the day my catheter was removed and have been since. Dr Tewari number is 212 746-5638. I was completely happy with him and would do the same surgery with him again. I traveled from Dallas Texas to see him for surgery. If you have any questions email me directly, I posted my email on my previous posts. Good Luck.

My PC was just diagnosed, PSA of 3.1, Gleason of 6 and stage 2a. Why did you decide to travel so far when Dr Justin Lee at MDA hospital in Arlington, TX has performed about 1000 davinci procedures. How did you decide???