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Prostate Cancer
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nemo57
Regular Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 43
Posted 5/28/2008 9:03 AM (GMT -8)
 Had my second biospy (the last one was 2 years ago and was clean) they found a small amount of cancer in one area. My PSA # over the past 2 years have been under 1. I could not believe what the Dr was saying. I am 52 years old and my PSA has been under 1 and I have prostrate cancer. The Dr. had felt a little rough spot on my prostrate 2 years ago and suggested the biospy. I have been reading all i can about what treatment to use. Any feed back will be helpful.

Thank you

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Tim G
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2006
Posts : 3052
Posted 5/28/2008 9:09 AM (GMT -8)
Welcome, Nemo.  It stills surprises me that I, like you,  had cancer with such a low PSA.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that early detection can mean that it's curable.    All three of the well-established treatments--radioactive seed implants, surgery  and external-beam radiation--have excellent cure rates and long-term survival.  The newer treatments look very promising but don't yet have an established track record.  It's your choice, so do the research (this web site is an excellent place for information and support) and make your decision.   After extensive research, my wife and I decided on surgery for reasons that were important to us:  (1) pathological staging where the extent of the tumor and margins can be accurately determined  (2) The PSA goes immediately to zero  (3) The availability of options like salvage radiation if the cancer recurs  (4) Incontinence and impotence tend to get better with time  (5) Less likely to get diarrhea and painful urination.  
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broker59
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2007
Posts : 88
Posted 5/28/2008 9:42 AM (GMT -8)
nono  Nemo

Sorry you have to become a member.  After the initial shock wears off, and it will, you will find a way to conquer the %#@&.  You are young with a low PSA which is not always the case in young men, telling us your Gleason score will also help.  In all probably you are in a very early stage due to your constant monitoring, and that is ALL GOOD! As you can see from my profile, i chose the open surgery after very extensive analysis. Every though & feeling you are having, someone on this board has already had.  YOU COULD NOT FIND A BETTER BOARD!  After 49 weeks post op, I am just fine, and chance are very good you will beat this BIG TIME!!

LOT'S OF REALLY GOOD PEOPLE HERE!!! yeah

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Lungman
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2008
Posts : 276
Posted 5/28/2008 11:38 AM (GMT -8)
nemo57, I was shocked when the Dr told me also, took me days for it to sink in. At that point, I arranged a second opinion and began researching options for tx. The rest is below, but take your time, make a decision that you and your family feel good about. Now I realize I was lucky with early diagnosis, tx, and recovery. Good Luck, keep in touch with this board, it is full of great info and practical experience.

Randy
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KrisP
Regular Member
Joined : Mar 2008
Posts : 162
Posted 5/28/2008 11:40 AM (GMT -8)

Hi Nemo,

I was surprised as you also when doctor told me about finding a hard spot during DRE, because just a couple of weeks prior, I had a full annual exam and my personal physicial did a DRE and did not find anything. My PSA was also low (1.9) so I thought for sure the biopsy would be negative.

Anyway hang in there and read all you can to educate yourself about the desease. You will not find a better forum than this to ease your mind and give you some peace of mind. The next day after I found out about my cancer, I did a google about Prostate Cancer and I found this forum. I couldn't believe how much support and help I got from the good folks here and still are. Keep us posted and good luck.

Kris


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Johnny Canuck
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2008
Posts : 88
Posted 5/28/2008 5:31 PM (GMT -8)
Nemo,

Welcome to the club nobody wants to join. The good news is it was caught early. Coming here was a lucky choice, as we speak your language...heck, we articulate things you haven't found the vocabulary for. Knowledge is the best tool in your kit right now, and helps you to regain some control.

Since your tumour is palpable, you might be past the brachy option...the one I took...but this is the place to make your inquiries of your peers and get answers from folks that have been in your shoes. 

You'll soon find that every train thought needn't lead back to your prostate cancer, and that you're not alone. Keep checking in, and good luck. 

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lvdgs
Regular Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 70
Posted 5/28/2008 5:46 PM (GMT -8)

Johnny Canuck said...
Nemo,

Welcome to the club nobody wants to join. The good news is it was caught early. Coming here was a lucky choice, as we speak your language...heck, we articulate things you haven't found the vocabulary for. Knowledge is the best tool in your kit right now, and helps you to regain some control.

Since your tumour is palpable, you might be past the brachy option...the one I took...but this is the place to make your inquiries of your peers and get answers from folks that have been in your shoes. 

You'll soon find that every train thought needn't lead back to your prostate cancer, and that you're not alone. Keep checking in, and good luck. 

       Hi Johnny,

       I'm wondering why you think brachy might not be an option since the tumour is      palpable?  We have an appointment tomorrow with the radiologist to discuss brachy because my husbands urologist said he's a candidate for it and his tumour was palpable. I'm just wondering if you've read something I missed. Now you got me thinking.

 

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GMH in SC
New Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 7
Posted 5/28/2008 6:43 PM (GMT -8)

When I had my biopsy, a light the doc was using made a burn on my rear.  I noticed that something was getting hotter and hotter and drew it to his attention.  He was obviously shocked at what happened.  I tried to lighten the mood, so I laughed and said, "Well, I'm sure you have good malpractice insurance."  Wrong thing to say.  He had NO sense of humor, but I am not a lawsuit happy person, so he had nothing to worry about.

A few days later he calls with my lab report.  He starts out asking about my "sun burn" as he called it and said he had never had anything like that happen before.  Since he started on a light note, I assumed he was just going to say the lab report was negative.  When he said, "Well, unfortunately the biopsy did show some cancerous cells..." it was surreal.

At the same time my wife was calling and my son answered the phone just as I hung up my cell with the doctor.  He turned and said, "Mom wants to know what the doctor said."  The words hung thickly in my throat, and all I could say was, "He said it was cancer."  I will never forget the look on his face.

I did great pre-surgery.  It had to be done, so it had to be done.  No need to fight, no need to cry, no need to complain.  The day it got difficult for me was when I went to Wal-Mart and stood in the adult diaper aisle trying to decide which product I needed to buy.

The hardest part though was just turning the sex switch off completely.  I'm only 44 and my wife and I have had a very active sex life.  Suddenly it's gone.  I know sexual intimacy is only a part of a relationship, but to make love to your wife one night knowing it will be the last time for a while - maybe a long while - or God forbid, ever - that's been tough for me.  I'm 3 weeks post-surgery, of course with no erections and a penis that seems to be trying to go into hiding.  My dr. told me very little about the post-surgery sexual aspects, other than to say no sex for at least 6 weeks.  I get the feeling that since this is typically a cancer in older men - though by this board I see there are others in my age group - it seems I'm automatically viewed as being 74 rather than 44.  (And certainly, no offense is meant to anyone regarding their age and sexual ability or appetite.)

What to do next?  Life must go on.  Just do the next thing as you are able, based on your own healing, not trying to be in lock-step with everyone else.  Talk to others to vent, to listen, and to learn.  I'm glad I found this forum.

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smilingoldcoot
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2008
Posts : 338
Posted 5/28/2008 7:10 PM (GMT -8)

Nemo

Welcome to the best site for information and support.  I found this site http://www.prostate-cancer.com/index.html to be one of the best that explains all the different treatment options that are availale. It's main defect it does not discuss proton treatment that that can be found here http://www.proton-therapy.org/

My site is listed in my profile and I have nothing for sale or desire anything  for it's use.

Richard yeah tongue yeah

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Doting Daughter
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 1064
Posted 5/28/2008 7:23 PM (GMT -8)
There are a lot of things that don't make sense of this disease. I'm sorry to hear that it has effected you and your family. The good news, as others have posted, is that you have caught it VERY early! That is GREAT news and thank goodness for your doctor.
You have some time to decide on treatment options and definitely do the research. This is a great forum with so many incredible members. Please continue to share your story and lean on this forum.

Doting
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OregonPinot
Regular Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 27
Posted 5/28/2008 7:36 PM (GMT -8)

Nemo:

I, like you, was recently diagnosed w/PC. It is not pretty.

I posted my first message to this board about two weeks ago.

I was diagnosed at a point where the cancer had not apparently spread to other areas so I had several options to consider. In addition to those mentioned by earlier posters were HIFU, available outside US.

It's a difficult journey, as all have said, and it's your choice and as one said you'll get over it.

My top choice is di vinci RP, but I have not firmly decided.

Spend some time here, check out other's posts, and get acclimated to this new club. It's not a club you would pay to join but it's gots lots of members, and great feedback.

Get your personal network involved. They will link you to others with the issue and discussions about how they dealt with it.

Check out my posts if you wish. I, like others, offer our personal support to helping you with the issue.

Gary       

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Johnny Canuck
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2008
Posts : 88
Posted 5/29/2008 4:36 AM (GMT -8)

       I'm wondering why you think brachy might not be an option since the tumour is      palpable?  We have an appointment tomorrow with the radiologist to discuss brachy because my husbands urologist said he's a candidate for it and his tumour was palpable. I'm just wondering if you've read something I missed. Now you got me thinking.

Perhaps I have palpable confused with encapsulated in terms of candidacy.  If you can go for brachy, I'd do it. It's my humble opinion here, but so far I'd do it again if need be. Side effects are...annoying....

Right now, I'm 3 months in, everything works, albeit a little differently. Urination is still...shall we say demanding as opposed to urgent...

Sexual release is dryer and sorta different, but still fun. Nothing life altering or depressing, especially considering the alternatives. Well, no more than acceptance of your cancer is in the first place. Don't let me put you off...give everybody a listen. Making an educated choice is working from a position of strength. Good luck.

JC

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lawink
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2006
Posts : 621
Posted 5/29/2008 5:42 AM (GMT -8)
GMH in SC . .. Hi and welcome to the place no one really wanted to join . . . you have found a large group of supportive, caring, helpful individuals on the same journey as you, and in all different stages and results of this dreaded disease.

As for the no more sex comment, there are many satisfying activities that may be very different than before, but never totally absent. Did you know that orgasm is possible "without an erection" . . .many here say equally as intense, just different. As you progress through your healing, don't turn away from possible use of Trimix or Bimix injections . . .they are very effective and once you get over the "first one" the injection anxiety will also disappear. . . .remember, the first is the worst and scariest.

Even if potency is meant to return, the injections will help you get to that stage. We too found that not all the details seemed to be discussed prior to surgery, but in hindsight, that might just have been too frightening.

Good luck and stay with us. You may wish to start your own thread . . .GMH in SC or something similar so that we may follow your journey and your posts won't get buried in other ones.

;o) Linda & Bob
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nemo57
Regular Member
Joined : May 2008
Posts : 43
Posted 7/28/2008 4:52 AM (GMT -8)
Can some one help me. I have tried to post in the fourm and my topic does not show in the fourm.

Thanks nemo57

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James C.
Veteran Member
Joined : Aug 2007
Posts : 4464
Posted 7/28/2008 6:40 AM (GMT -8)
Nemo, I see that you have posted 5 times this morning, in 5 different threads.  If you are needing to make a new post, then click the button on the left side of the form, that says "New Topic"  and start fresh from there...Hope this helps


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