Is 75 too old for treatment?

75 isnt ancient. Surely you have a cardiac surgeon or cardiologist? I dont know that my Primary would be my top dog in the room on this.

I would seek a second, even a third opinion. People live with heart failure for years. But, they can also live with prostate cancer for years. If yours is a slow-moving kind, you may still have 7-10 years. But it would help to learn more from a surgeon, another one, if they think you would be a poor risk to treat the cancer. It's not as if you're actually dying, and likely to be gone by August, for cryin' out loud!

I don’t consider 75 old at all and I’m barely 60. I’d definitely get another opinion and do a lot of research. Your life is very important. I hope you find some positive news.

Were you and your doctor discussing surgery on your prostate or your heart? I take it the latter, but that isn’t entirely clear.

In either case your age wouldn’t be the issue, it would be the condition of your heart. But I am with pb50, you should discuss this with your cardiologist and get the relevant expert opinion straight from the horses mouth.

There is clearly more information needed - and only a medical professional should be consulted.

If you are not consulting at a heart center of excellence, you should seek one out immediately. The moderator of this forum for Mayo can provide the best method to be seen, but don’t delay. There are many centers of excellence.

Local care will usually provide only “standard of care” which is insufficient in your case.

@rick42wood
My suggestion go to a urologist at a well known clinic. I would suggest trying to go to a Mayo Clinic, or Cleveland Clinic type institution but there are many others that are excellent.

Please, I was 75 like you when I was diagnosed with prostrate cancer. I have heart failure and my EF is 25. I am also on a ICD/Pacemaker. My urologist did not want to do anesthesia biopsies procedure but rectal because of this. My heart failure doctor stated I could get anesthesia and thus I had Transperinial.

You are NOT to old at 75 for getting treatments. There are many out there and you need a good urologist and radiology/oncologist to go over treatment plans. If you look at the ages of us on MCC you will see a lot of us are in our 70s (I just turned 77) and finished my radiation treatments last year at 76.

Reach out to the mentor about institutions near you with experienced, up to date treatments and research. If I was you have your surgeon talk to you personally not the opinion of others.
I sounds like to me your need a heart failure specialist and a good experienced urologist on your care team. Consider going to a Mayo Clinic for second opinion and/or treatment having heart failure is serious but can be controlled and treated. I have been diagnosed with heart failure since 2000. That was 24 years ago and have had many surgeries since then along with 3 ICD/Pacemakers, ablation, cardiac catherizations.

Hello @rick42wood. As others have mentioned, you can self-refer to Mayo Clinic by requesting an appointment, http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63. If you have a good relationship with your primary care physician, you can also ask them to help refer you.

Appointments at Mayo Clinic are based on medical need, if Mayo Clinic can offer treatment that is not available locally, and if there is capacity at a Mayo Clinic site.

@rick42wood, was any insight or input offered as to what could be done about your chest pain and vomiting spells?

I was prescribed nitro patches but that seemed to worsen my symptoms so I quit using them.

I should clarify: I am being treated for my cancer and it is working well. It is my heart failure that my doctor does not want to address, but, he is sending me to a cardiac team for their opinion. I'm in Canada so do not have access to any Mayo clinics.

To clarify, the issue isn't the cancer. It is well under control and being treated. It's the chronic heart failure they don't want to touch.