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Posted 8/9/2007 12:53 PM (GMT -8)
Thank you! We'll check it out.
Posted 8/9/2007 4:47 PM (GMT -8)
Sorry to see this site did not list proton beam radiation therapy as an option.

Dutch

Posted 8/9/2007 10:05 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Dutch,

Yes. I noticed proton beam was not called out as a separate item.

Fortunately, there are many sites to compare proton beam with IMRT and such.

I guess you could go to a site that favors neither, a site that favors one and a site that favors the other to do a good comparison.

Good catch.

Regards,

Idaho
Posted 8/11/2007 3:09 AM (GMT -8)
Just thought I'd check in with you all. We're still reading everything we can lay our hands on so we know what we're up against. On a not so positive note, we found out that Michael does in fact have a family history of the disease. His father apparently battled prostate cancer throughout his later years and had had his prostate removed at some point. We know little else. Why families would not share this kind of information is beyond me. I'm upset to think that perhaps my husband would have had a biopsy two years ago when it was first noted that his PSA was high.
Posted 8/11/2007 6:11 AM (GMT -8)
Good morning Ellen,
Those second guesses are not important anymore except to make sure that you pass the information to any of your children or children of Mikes brothers and sisters. I have the same statement to make about the FDA, and American Cancer Society. Look at this site and the number of stricken under the recommended PSA testing age of 50. I believe those organizations are being controlled by insurance companies to tell people to wait as late as possible before being tested. I know now that the testing age should be 40 not 50. It's very obvious at this and other sites. I have late stage disease and I just turned 45. The only reason that those institutions could suggest the later age is cost. Cost to the insurance companies. Just my two cents worth. If they would correctly set that standard then perhaps you could have caught it earlier with Mike. You can't do anything about the genetics. If he was going to get this disease he was going to get it. If every male started testing at 40 I bet the mortality rate of this disease would almost disappear because it can be treated when caught early. But it would cost alot to do so.

Tony
Posted 8/11/2007 6:21 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Tony. You make very good points and it really helps me to keep it in perspective. One of the first things that struck me when I first started searching for information was the number of young men I was seeing and hearing about on the web. I used to think Michael was on the young side for getting prostate cancer. Not so.

We're certainly going to be doing our part to make sure that every male family member is aware of the risk - even on my side of the family where there are no known risk factors - and starts testing early.

Ellen
Posted 8/11/2007 10:14 AM (GMT -8)
Ellen next time you have a minute would you provide us with a signature telling us Michael's details? Thanks
Posted 8/11/2007 11:23 AM (GMT -8)
Hi, Pete -

Sure will. I started to make a signature the other day and never finished it. Here's the summary:

Diagnosed 8/3/07
Stage ?
Gleason 6 (3+3)
PSA 4.4
12 samples, Adenocarcinoma involving 3 of 7 cores (95%, 90%, 30%, discontinuously)
Age 58

We only talked to the surgeon over the phone once so far, and the stage was never discussed. We have an appointment with him the first week in September.
Posted 8/11/2007 11:26 AM (GMT -8)
Okay ... let's see if this works ...
Posted 8/11/2007 11:35 AM (GMT -8)
just wanted to say "hi" ... don't have much to add to other posts.

and yes your signature is working :)
Posted 8/11/2007 4:27 PM (GMT -8)
Hello Ellen.

I'm late to your thread; please accept my apologies. I've only been able to log on occationally do to technical difficulties with my Comcast link. Your signature is working just fine. I hope your meeting with the surgeon goes well, and that he/she can answer all your questions.

Glen
Posted 8/15/2007 3:22 PM (GMT -8)
Hi, everyone. We flip-flop so much from day to day on options for treatment that neither my husband nor I know whether we're coming or going anymore at this point. We had pretty much settled on robotic laparoscopy as the best option ... until we met with the radiation oncologist today. Given the early stage of the cancer and my husband's excellent health otherwise, he seems like an ideal candidate for brachytherapy. The good news for us also was that his regular urologist/surgeon would participate in the procedure as well. Since he's not the best patient in general (I told him today I could just picture him mowing the lawn while toting Mr. Hang around, and that the only way we were going to keep him from overdoing after surgery would be by putting both legs in casts), brachytherapy avoids some of those issues while achieving similar results.

I'm just thankful at this point that the cancer was caught early enough to give us some good options. We'll talk to two surgeons in early September and make a final decision by then. Thank you all again for your input.
Posted 8/15/2007 3:37 PM (GMT -8)

Hi Ellen,

Don't worry about flip-flopping on such an important decision.

You're doing the right thing for you and for Mike by obtaining knowledge and by getting comfortable with an approach and with the doctors that'll be helping you. yeah

All the best in your decision making!

Idaho

Posted 8/15/2007 3:50 PM (GMT -8)
HI Mike's wife. I suffered from information overload and had to take a couple of days off to rest the brain. Relax for a few days, think about something else then get back to it. This is tough time for you because this is a very important decision. For what it is worth, I was 54 years old when I found out, had radical wurgery on May 30th, 2007. Was really surprized about the lack of pain. Spent two days in the hospital and no pain meds after the first day. Still leaking a little, ED is a problem but we are working through that, if you know what I mean. Get all the information you can and remember, most urologists are surgeons, radiation oncologists urge radiation. See a hospital that has a multi-diciplinary approach to treating PC, make an informed decision and don't second guess yourself and don't look back. Take care and we will all be thinking about and praying for you.

Mika-mvesr
Posted 8/15/2007 5:25 PM (GMT -8)
Hi ~ Ellen & Michael,   You have time to stop and take a nice deep breath …   re-group and start moving forward again in your search for answers.   I’m glad you found all of us!!!   Stay close..   In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy        Reminder: KNOWLEDGE     IS     POWER   ...   and   POWER conquers   fear   YOU MAKE THE DECISIONS… YOU HAVE OPTIONS… ~ and ~ Your decision will be the right decision for you!!!
Posted 8/15/2007 5:47 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Ellen,

Flip-flopping is just a part of the decision making process - we did it constantly. Go to bed at night agreeing on surgery - wake up in the morning convinced that seeds was the only way to go. Sheeesh!!!

But when the time was right, the decision was perfectly clear - surgery. We woke up in the morning and both said "surgery". And we never looked back from that moment on. So whatever is right for you and Michael, you WILL make the right decision for you. Thats the really important thing - that it is the right decision for YOU.

You have researched your options, you have reached out to your "Team" here on the forum, you have thoroughly discussed your thoughts and feelings with each other - now relax in the assurance that you will make the right decision. There is only one requirement - it must be YOUR decision.

We all have learned, some the hard way, that we have to take our treatment into our own hands. The medical pros are our advisers - not our gods. Start now, make YOUR decision in YOUR own time.

And please stay with us, we need you....

Jim
Posted 8/15/2007 6:07 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Mike's Wife,

I just wanted to offer you my suggestion. Have your husband do the transrectal mri which will give you a pretty good idea if the cancer is truly confined before you make your decision. Most surgeons have you do this test prior to treatment anyway. Hope this helps.

Best of luck to you & glad you joined this board.

A.
Posted 8/16/2007 1:36 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, everyone. We're doing exactly as a few of you suggested and taking a few deep breaths and a few days off. We came home yesterday and my husband took his growing file of information and set it aside. We'll leave it alone for awhile and let everything settle in our minds. Information overload is definitely what we've been experiencing.

The plus of our talking to a surgeon and radiologist who work together is that they're really supportive of each other in terms of the options. I think either way will work for us, and it will come down to what my husband is most comfortable with.

We will be pursuing other tests in the meantime, as it seems obvious something else is going on as well. The doctor we spoke with yesterday said the pain my husband is experiencing is unlikely to be due to the prostate cancer.

Thanks again for all of your support. I'll keep you posted on how we're doing.
Posted 8/16/2007 3:34 PM (GMT -8)
I know that feeling well. We went back and forth from everything to watchful waiting to surgery to radiation. I think after finding out about the cancer, that was the second hardest part. And for me, the more I read and read, the more confusing it all was. The fact that there are so many different treatment options for prostate cancer (If caught early), was kind of a blessing and a bane. There were times when i just thought "just freaking tell us what to do!!"

But in the end, like everyone said, you will come to the decision that is right for you! It is good that your surgeon and radiation guy are supporting each other.

Best wishes on your decision and I remember well how difficult that period was! Do take a break, digest, and come up with your own plan :)

Thoughts to both of you,

Tanya
Posted 9/28/2007 10:20 AM (GMT -8)
  Helping to keep Ellen & Michael's "Journey" together… for future readers & members   (Direct Link ~ just click on the title below and a new window will open!   Reminder … click on the REFRESH icon once you get there)   09-20-07   Decision Made: Going the Brachytherapy Route   v       bluebird ~   Moderator for Prostate Cancer Forum
Posted 9/28/2007 11:43 AM (GMT -8)
Thanks, Bluebird. :-)
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