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Gleason7(3+4) - treatment options recommendation
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 7 1:02pm | Replies (237)Comment receiving replies
Hello my online friend!
I am now 2 weeks 2 days post-surgery. I feel better every day, started doing a lot of outside stuff lately. I got my pathology report back and I am in the high-risk category, my "score" as the surgeon put it went from 5 to 3. My Gleason was a couple of 9's and a couple of 7's. There was one positive lymph node which worries him. He could not save one side of the nerves due to cancer involvement. He removed the prostate, vas deferens, lymph nodes, seminal vesicles, and one or two other things I forgot the names of. He has me scheduled for my first PSA test at 6 weeks, a meeting with a radiation oncologist at 8 weeks, and a 2nd PSA test at 12 weeks.
The only negatives two weeks out are the incontinence (not that bad, but noticeable) and one of the incisions is still ouchy. I also get tired pretty easily, but I think that is to be expected for a few more weeks of recovery. My energy just seems to fade in and out all day, and by 9pm I am really, really tired. Couldn't even watch my Buffalo Bills get their heads handed to them Sunday night! LOL
So, all in all, recovering as expected, pathology not so great which has the doc worried, and waiting for the next "Adventure in Prostate Land." 🙂
Replies to "Hello my online friend! I am now 2 weeks 2 days post-surgery. I feel better every..."
Do you know what your clinical stage is? Are you T3b which means it actually spread to the Seminal vesicles? Did the doctor mention you had cribriform or intraductal those are significant issues.
If you show even 1 Gleason 9 you are Gleason 9. The 7’s don’t count any longer.
Some people live long lives even with Gleason 9. I know people that have gotten off all drugs after being undetectable for a long time, even though they are Gleason nine.
With the cancer you have, you should be getting PSA tests monthly.
Where are you being treated? You should have a Genito Urinary Oncologist treating you. They specialize in prostate cancer, which medical oncologist can’t quite do. This is very important with your level of cancer. If you need help finding one, let me know. I work with somebody that has contacts all over the country.
If you are being treated at a Mayo clinic, then you are probably getting the best medicine can offer.
You don’t mention it, but are you on Lupron or an equivalent drug like Orgovyx. With Gleason 9 you should be on it for 24 months according t according NCCN. You probably should be on a secondary drug as well, has that been discussed? Ask your doctor about it.
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For the benefit of the other form members, I’m giving a short reply, but will also send you a private message.
It sounds like you are about where I was two weeks post surgery. I think it took me about six weeks to feel less fatigued, and more close to normal.
Sorry about the bad news on the grade group and Gleason scores. That’s exactly what happened to me and he could only do nerve sparing on one side. I also had two suspicious lymph nodes; one of them was removed during RP and tested positive for PCa and the other was far too risky to reach during surgery so they had to go after with radiation once I was healed.
It took me about 7 months to become totally continant and not need a pad anymore. Pelvic therapy helped.
Stay positive! It is a journey we’re both on, but not necessarily one with a dead end.