prostate cancer
Discussion
There's plenty of reading on the Prostate Cancer UK site:
http://prostatecanceruk.org
Here's an A-Z list of downloadable PDFs:
http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/o...
Have a look at their "Guide for men who've just been diagnosed"
http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/o...
There's also a forum where you can ask questions on pretty much anything.
http://prostatecanceruk.org
Here's an A-Z list of downloadable PDFs:
http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/o...
Have a look at their "Guide for men who've just been diagnosed"
http://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/o...
There's also a forum where you can ask questions on pretty much anything.
My Dad's treatment went on about 2 years from diagnosis.
He had hip pain and Dr Google diagnosed terminal prostate cancer that had spread to the bone... Dr Google is rarely correct and just causes you to panic.
He has osteoarthritis in his hip and due to family history of PC he went for a check, lucky really as he had it.
Had it removed and needed some final radiotherapy and has just been given the all clear.
If caught early enough then it's very treatable.
He had hip pain and Dr Google diagnosed terminal prostate cancer that had spread to the bone... Dr Google is rarely correct and just causes you to panic.
He has osteoarthritis in his hip and due to family history of PC he went for a check, lucky really as he had it.
Had it removed and needed some final radiotherapy and has just been given the all clear.
If caught early enough then it's very treatable.
My dad has just finished his treatment, which took 3 years in total. The 3 years was hormone therapy, in amongst that he also had chemo, radiotherapy and some bone hardening drug (I forget the name) as part of a trial.
In his words, the hormone therapy was the worst bit - being "chemically castrated" was how I believe he described it. He certainly lost a ton of muscle throughout the treatment and, a year on from the hormones stopping, is only just starting to see his strength improve again.
As said above, it is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early enough and I believe the stats are something like 80% of men will develop it by the age of 80 so not exactly uncommon.
Do we assume from the brief post that you, or someone close to you has just been diagnosed?
In his words, the hormone therapy was the worst bit - being "chemically castrated" was how I believe he described it. He certainly lost a ton of muscle throughout the treatment and, a year on from the hormones stopping, is only just starting to see his strength improve again.
As said above, it is one of the most treatable cancers if caught early enough and I believe the stats are something like 80% of men will develop it by the age of 80 so not exactly uncommon.
Do we assume from the brief post that you, or someone close to you has just been diagnosed?
rolex said:
Does it eventually spread to different organs?
It often spreads to the bones in the pelvis/lower back/femur, although they can go all over.A few times now I've x-rayed somebody with generalised hip pain and seen bone mets in their pelvis. Then they get the diagnosis of Ca prostate despite being relatively symptomless in that area. I agree with the poster above that there should be a routine screening programme for it.
NiceCupOfTea said:
It's all about it being diagnosed early, and there should be a national screening programme. My father in law sadly succumbed to it all too early after being diagnosed only after it had metastised.
My friend had a normal screening in November, was diagnosed with a big tumour in April and was dead in OctoberHe carried his illness with a lot of dignity and often remarked how his screening was pointless
numtumfutunch said:
NiceCupOfTea said:
It's all about it being diagnosed early, and there should be a national screening programme. My father in law sadly succumbed to it all too early after being diagnosed only after it had metastised.
My friend had a normal screening in November, was diagnosed with a big tumour in April and was dead in OctoberHe carried his illness with a lot of dignity and often remarked how his screening was pointless
As already said it had a high rate of cure if caught early enough, so I do think screening would benefit the majority.
Patch1875 said:
I know someone who's 65 and has PC he gets no treatment as he's been told it's a type that spreads so slow he will die either naturally or from something else before it becomes an issue.
I'm in the same boat; "watchful waiting" is what the consultant called it. Also told I'd probably die with it, not from it. In fairness they did offer me the options of having my prostate removed, radiotherapy 5 days a week for 7 weeks, or brachytherapy implants. I decided I didn't want any invasive surgery, or a 40 mile round trip to Oxford for radiotherapy, so am quite happy to wait and see.norush said:
Patch1875 said:
I know someone who's 65 and has PC he gets no treatment as he's been told it's a type that spreads so slow he will die either naturally or from something else before it becomes an issue.
I'm in the same boat; "watchful waiting" is what the consultant called it. Also told I'd probably die with it, not from it. In fairness they did offer me the options of having my prostate removed, radiotherapy 5 days a week for 7 weeks, or brachytherapy implants. I decided I didn't want any invasive surgery, or a 40 mile round trip to Oxford for radiotherapy, so am quite happy to wait and see.Well then, for what it's worth here's my situation:
In July 2013 a blood test revealed my PSA to be 127, whereupon my doctor fixed me up very quickly to see a urinary specialist at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough. He arranged for me to have a bone scan and an MRI scan, and these showed that prostate cancer had spread into my bones and this, apparently, is what's known as Advanced Prostate Cancer.
The response to this was that I started on a course of hormone therapy. This meant two 80 mg injections of Degarilix at JCUH, followed four weeks later by a single injection of the same stuff by my doctor, and a further single injection has followed every four weeks since then.
In general terms I've been told that my life expectancy should not be affected (I'm now 75) and I also ought to retain normal funtionality for the rest of my days, subject to the normal deteriorations that follow from advancing years generally.
Now I don't know if I'm being let off a bit lightly, but to me it doesn't seem like a big deal. I feel generally lively, I can do all the things I would expect to be able to do at this age, including working fairly hard in the garden for 6 or 7 hours a day, and without feeling too knackered or anything like that at the end of it. To be honest, apart from the monthly injections, I wouldn't know there's anything wrong with me at all, and I don't even have any aches or pains etc.
The hormone therapy can produce various side effects, but the only ones I'm conscious of are a tendency to be a bit more emotional at times and I suffer occasional hot flushes, but the latter are very brief and not really a problem. These effects are no doubt caused by the fact that Degarilix works by stopping (or at least markedly reducing) my testosterone production, and this is necessary as this is what feeds the cancer: it's fuel supply needed to be stopped! In my case the cancer is not curable, but it is controllable, so I'm OK about it.
So, as I say, I may have been relatively fortunate, but the situation really causes me no concern. I hope others, who may be worried about this sort of problem, will find this a touch reassuring.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
In July 2013 a blood test revealed my PSA to be 127, whereupon my doctor fixed me up very quickly to see a urinary specialist at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough. He arranged for me to have a bone scan and an MRI scan, and these showed that prostate cancer had spread into my bones and this, apparently, is what's known as Advanced Prostate Cancer.
The response to this was that I started on a course of hormone therapy. This meant two 80 mg injections of Degarilix at JCUH, followed four weeks later by a single injection of the same stuff by my doctor, and a further single injection has followed every four weeks since then.
In general terms I've been told that my life expectancy should not be affected (I'm now 75) and I also ought to retain normal funtionality for the rest of my days, subject to the normal deteriorations that follow from advancing years generally.
Now I don't know if I'm being let off a bit lightly, but to me it doesn't seem like a big deal. I feel generally lively, I can do all the things I would expect to be able to do at this age, including working fairly hard in the garden for 6 or 7 hours a day, and without feeling too knackered or anything like that at the end of it. To be honest, apart from the monthly injections, I wouldn't know there's anything wrong with me at all, and I don't even have any aches or pains etc.
The hormone therapy can produce various side effects, but the only ones I'm conscious of are a tendency to be a bit more emotional at times and I suffer occasional hot flushes, but the latter are very brief and not really a problem. These effects are no doubt caused by the fact that Degarilix works by stopping (or at least markedly reducing) my testosterone production, and this is necessary as this is what feeds the cancer: it's fuel supply needed to be stopped! In my case the cancer is not curable, but it is controllable, so I'm OK about it.
So, as I say, I may have been relatively fortunate, but the situation really causes me no concern. I hope others, who may be worried about this sort of problem, will find this a touch reassuring.
Best wishes all,
Dave.
norush said:
Patch1875 said:
I know someone who's 65 and has PC he gets no treatment as he's been told it's a type that spreads so slow he will die either naturally or from something else before it becomes an issue.
I'm in the same boat; "watchful waiting" is what the consultant called it. Also told I'd probably die with it, not from it. In fairness they did offer me the options of having my prostate removed, radiotherapy 5 days a week for 7 weeks, or brachytherapy implants. I decided I didn't want any invasive surgery, or a 40 mile round trip to Oxford for radiotherapy, so am quite happy to wait and see.We don't screen for prostate cancer because the science and evidence says we'd be worse off for it
It's quite a difficult idea to swallow, but it's a fairly classical non-starter for screening, there are *very* strict criteria
http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/prostatecancer
Example from that page:
Current research indicates for every 100,000 men at age 50 offered screening, 748 would end up being treated. The men accepting screening would have their lives extended on average by a day – while 274 men would be made impotent, 25 incontinent and 17 would have rectal problems as a result of the treatment.
The test used for screening isn't good enough, and that's rule 1.0
Don't put the general public in charge of screening, that's rule 0.1
The NHS might be clunky, but Public Health and Prevention, is actually rather well sorted out.
We don't screen for prostate cancer, we do screen for breast and cervical. There is *a lot* of work gone into why. And it's often reviewed looking for reasons to change
It's quite a difficult idea to swallow, but it's a fairly classical non-starter for screening, there are *very* strict criteria
http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/prostatecancer
Example from that page:
Current research indicates for every 100,000 men at age 50 offered screening, 748 would end up being treated. The men accepting screening would have their lives extended on average by a day – while 274 men would be made impotent, 25 incontinent and 17 would have rectal problems as a result of the treatment.
The test used for screening isn't good enough, and that's rule 1.0
Don't put the general public in charge of screening, that's rule 0.1
The NHS might be clunky, but Public Health and Prevention, is actually rather well sorted out.
We don't screen for prostate cancer, we do screen for breast and cervical. There is *a lot* of work gone into why. And it's often reviewed looking for reasons to change
Edited by The_Doc on Sunday 1st November 23:29
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