More accurate Dx details

hewhositsoncushions
hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member

Hi all

Got a standard cc: from the consultant to my GP which contained the specific details of the Dx.

  • Gleason 7 (4 + 3)
  • Adenocarcinoma
  • 40% of 4 cores, maximum length 6mm
  • Prostate 20cc
  • Classfication: Intermediate

Anyone know if this sheds further light on my original information in terms of risk?

Cheers

C

Comments

  • RobLee
    RobLee Member Posts: 269 Member
    Gleason 7 (4 + 3)

    It means you have cancer, worse than if it had been (3+4), and that you're looking at treatment soon. I don't know what your original position was, but with 4 being the predominant pathology yours is more aggressive and could quickly become G8.

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    Thanks

    Thanks

    Yes, I knew what 4 + 3 meant but I was wondering if the extra detail about the number of cores and %age meant anything or whether it is just window dressing....

    Edit: Stage T2

    Note - am in bargaining stage :):):)

  • RobLee
    RobLee Member Posts: 269 Member
    Yes, I knew what 4 + 3 meant

    Then hopefully you also know what the T2 means (of course, better than T3). Again, you are in an excellent position to knock this out before it progresses to, lets say, higher numbers. Good luck!

  • Old Salt
    Old Salt Member Posts: 1,277 Member
    Your risk appears low

    If you lived in the USA, the result would mean that you are not a candidate for Active Surveillance. UK recommendations may differ. All other treatment options are on the table. But it would be good to know how close to the prostate edges the cancerous spots were. Any word about perineural invasion? Ask for a map of the biopsy outcome; position matters especially when considering surgery. With radiation, the beam(s) can be adjusted.

    PS: your risk seems low, with appropriate therapy.

  • hewhositsoncushions
    hewhositsoncushions Member Posts: 411 Member
    Hi

    Hi

    Thanks for the feefback, folks.

    This is UK btw.

    We had a chat with the consultant about this and they felt it was likely contained if the MRI read right thus the T2 but there was some %age calculation about likelihood of spread to the lymph nodes and I am 12% change where the limit is 5% for non removal so they are going to whip the nodes out to be sure.

    I didn't get a map of the cores but they did not seem stressed about the margins or invasion as they always cut away gland plus more and the lymph node are coming out to be sure.

    I suspect this is a case of "probably could be a lot worse and we are being really precautionary about what we take out but the post surgery pathology will clarify".

    We are all comfy on surgery as the option.

    C

    PS - I recall that it was all on the left side so they are going to try nerve sparing - I just hope they wrote it down right and the chop the right leg off :):)

    C

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,803 Member
    edited May 2017 #7
    Agree

    Hewho,

    Your disease is almost certainly curable at this point.   And I agree with all of what the other two responders (thus far) have noted.  40% involvement in 4 cores does suggest at least a Stage II involvement (what I had myself).

    Ordinarily the placement of the tumors inside the gland will not affect the possibility of nerve sparing technique.  Escape from the capsule is a key in eliminating nerve-sparing, but not the sole cause.   And not a lot of tissue is trimmed away in the prostate bed if no escape is indicated from the pathologist while you are still on the operating table (the gland will be studied under a microscope and stains after removal but before the surgeon closes, to determine how much precautionary tissue needs to be cut out, and how many nodes need to be removed; this is the same as virtually all organ cancer surgeries).

    I'm glad that all indications are that you are on the way to what the doctors' term curative effect.  You state that you are resolved for surgery, which is a good choice, and what I did, but just recall that everything you just reported says that Radiation is in your case an equally successful option.  Not meaning to muddy the waters, just attempting to be thorough.

    As "intermediate" Gleason you have no need to rush or be frantic, but neither would I tally -- my weak attempt at sounding a little English. Visited  Dunoon/Holy Loch Scotland many times when the US SUbmarine base was still there, and visited Faslane twice also (the British sub facility, still there), and near a week in Portsmouth down on the Channel.  Loved England and Scotland, but more so Scotland, which seemed less Americanized then -- no McDonalds or such in the areas I was in.

    Wshing you well,

    max