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Second Opinions in Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 1 hour ago | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
69 yo, Gleason 3+4, BPH with 75g prostate. My primary Dr., chair of the Urology department at a major teaching hospital, and very well respected, recommended robotic surgery. Second opinion from another highly regarded Urologist who recommended radiation. My understanding is that either option has statistically the same outcomes in regards to efficacy and side effects. I really feel like it’s a roll of the dice and I’m having a hard time deciding which route to take.
Replies to "69 yo, Gleason 3+4, BPH with 75g prostate. My primary Dr., chair of the Urology department..."
You might want to check out a focal therapy. I did Tulsa Pro at Mayo last year for 4+3. Very happy with results so far.
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It’s an ‘educated’ roll. Outcomes are the same, however side effects are different.
I had surgery done by a very reputable surgeon - a pioneer in robotics. I became completely impotent, but not incontinent for which I am grateful.
I then had salvage radiation which, so far, has given me no side effects (the surgery took care of most of them!). The main advantage of surgery is that it gives you the chance to do radiation if your cancer returns. Not so much if you do radiation first.
But if you are a solid G 3+4 with a low Decipher score and no presence of cribriform cells in your pathology, IMO radiation (either SBRT or IMRT) is an excellent treatment with less side effects than surgery. Just my opinion based on personal experience and that of friends who also had PCa.
Phil