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Can prostate cancer ever go into remission?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Jul 29 7:49am | Replies (38)Comment receiving replies
Not sure if I explained why I’m asking here about reading an image.
It boils down to the doctor telling me that “ there’s not much difference between your latest scan and the one taken three months ago which was the one my urologist said showed that the cancer had not spread BUT THE MYSTERY IS WHY HASNT IT SPREAD WITH A PSA OF 100 for as long as it’s been that high”
Now the oncologist said “ not much different than your first scan except for a few undefined “ shadowy areas “ that we can zap with pin point radiation “
Then the new oncologist said I’m no longer a candidate for radiation unless I have pain in “ those areas “ I have no idea what “ areas “ he’s talking about? Are those the areas with shadows?
What do shadows mean? Why no longer A candidate?
Can you see why my replies may seem vague?
Does Gleason score translate to “ stages “ not one doctor ever mentioned a stage.
I’m grasping for answers based on what I do know which seems to be NOT MUCH!
Have I confused you all even more now?
Thanks for trying to help
Replies to "Not sure if I explained why I’m asking here about reading an image. It boils down..."
What type of scan did the doctor use to determine that “there’s not much difference between your latest scan and the one taken three months ago”? How many and where are the lesions?
Prostate cancer is a very heterogeneous disease; many factors determine aggressiveness and risk of spread. Yes, a PSA of 100 is high; but, I’ve known guys with PSAs of 3,500, 7,800, and 11,000 who are still around (yes, there’s was metastatic). I was in a webinar two years ago where the doctor said he had a patient with PSA over 20,000 (that patient did not survive). So, even with a PSA of 100, that’s more than treatable (again, depending on so many other factors).
What are your other numbers and diagnoses related to your grade/stage of prostate cancer? There is much more about your test/scan results that are needed to know in order to be less vague:
> PSA history
> % Free PSA
> PSA Doubling Time
> PSA Velocity
> MRI (PIRADS)
> PSA Density
> Biopsy (Gleason score)
> Some of these terms (from MRIs and biopsies) are indicators: cribriform pattern, extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, perineural invasion and intraductal carcinoma.
> Biomarker (genomic) tests
> Genetic (germline & somatic) tests
> Results from Bone/CT/PSMA scans
All of these will be in the test reports that you’ve been given. With that information, you’ll have much more insight into the status of your disease, and your questions will be less vague.
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These are all questions you need to ask your oncologist!
None of us have the expertise or familiarity with your scans, labs, etc. to give you a helpful answer.
Make a list of your questions and ask them of your oncologist.