Nerve Sparing Robotic Surgery

dkirkley
dkirkley Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Prostate Cancer #1
My husband has been diagnosed with Grade 8 Prostate Cancer. He has been going thru biopsies every year for the last 4 years. All were clear, but the last one. The cancer was finally found a few months ago in the Apex section of the prostate. His PSA was 27.
His doctor has suggested a radical prostectomy with total nerve kill. He was asking anyone with experience in this field to respond as to chances with nerve sparing.

Comments

  • lewvino
    lewvino Member Posts: 1,010
    #2
    So sorry to hear about your
    So sorry to hear about your husband. You didn't mention and I'm curious on your husbands age.
    When you say Grade 8 I assume that you mean a Gleason 8 score. As you most likely know they grade to a 10. The 8 needs to be taken care of asap. I am not a Doctor just another prostate cancer survivor! The Gleason 8 is not real good news. The Apex is one of the most common areas for having what they call a positive margin after surgery. This means that even after surgery they will monitor your husband very frequent for possible recurrance and then would need follow up radiation. They may even want to start radiation treatments a few months after healing from surgery.
    I'm not sure why the Doc would recommend what you call a total nerve kill. Usually the decision to spare the erection nerve bundles is not made until actually in surgery.
    Talking a little frank here but even with a 'total nerve removal' there are implant devices that your husband could get down the road for continuing your sex life.
    My Gleason was a 7 and had surgery in Aug. 2009. Doctor spared all nerves on one side and he estimated 60-70 percent spared on the 'bad side'. With Using Levitra I'm pleased at age 55.
    Please keep in touch since you will find this forum to be full of caring men and woman.
    If you or your husband want to chat sometime just drop a note.

    Larry Age 55
    Surgery at Vanderbilt Aug 2009
    Gleason 7
  • griff 1
    griff 1 Member Posts: 114
    #3
    new lady
    larry is right if its an 8 get working on it. i had robotic on june 23rd and a very skilled dr. did it. i was dry in about a week after the cath came out. it has to be a very good dr. to do it all right, so make sure he has done quite a few. larry is right on the on the nerves they have to look at them. larry has alot of knowledge on this beast so keep posting. goodluck griff
  • hopeful and optimistic
    hopeful and optimistic Member Posts: 2,346 Member
    #4
    I believe that an MRI with a spectroscopy
    will show if the cancer is contained in the capsule or not......knowing this is important to the treatment decsion.

    Also, a bone scan is recommended for those with a gleason 8 or above..

    Good luck

    Ira

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