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Received the news on Halloween. I have prostate cancer. Need advice.
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Dec 25, 2025 | Replies (56)Comment receiving replies
I am the OP.
It took a while to get the other test results in. My Decipher score is 0.57. Intermediate risk, very close to the high risk area of 0.60. PSMA shows the same 2 legions inside prostate, but no where else. I also did a Color Health saliva test that shows negative of all 29 cancer genes they tested.
I met with my UCLA Urologic Oncologist. He said due to my high Decipher score, he does not recommend Active Surveillance. I asked for referrals. His office set up appointments for me with Dr Kishan on Jan, 9th, 2026 for Radiation consultation, and Dr Reiter on Jan 21, 2026 for surgery.
My Oncologist said wait for another 3-4 months is probably OK since the actual treatment may be months away. Meanwhile, I am doing a lot of research on SBRT and Brachytherapy, but I need to talk to Dr Kishan first so he can evaluate me for best modality. Though I have an appointment with the surgeon, I am really not sure about surgery. If Dr Kishan's consultation can give me confidence, I might cancel the appointment with Dr Reiter later.
Replies to "I am the OP. It took a while to get the other test results in. My..."
@frank1956
Seems to me Frank you are doing everything you can to help you make decisions on what is best for you. Getting opinions and second opinions is something many of us do to help make decisions on what treatment you decide.
I did not have RP so can only mentioned what others have posted and will leave comments on RP to others that have had it as cannot add any personal experience to you.
You had the Decipher which I would have recommended as was really a deciding factor in what I chose and my doctors chose for my treatments.
You are doing a lot of research on your own and reading directly that research so in my opinion you are right on tract on what to do to help with decisions.
Good luck!!
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@frank1956 How old are you Frank? 70ish is really the grey area if your handle ‘1956’ refers to that.
PCa is tricky and sometimes even with all the boxes checked off , it can come back. The forum is full of us in our second, third and even fourth go rounds.
Radiation may be an excellent choice for your condition, but - and this is purely speculative on my part!- if your cancer returns and you are still hale and hearty in your late 70’s or early 80’s, you WILL need a backup plan.
Sometimes, even though it sounds distasteful, surgery is an excellent treatment as well (possibly curative, as is radiation) but offers the dividend of being able to do radiation down the road if necessary. To do the reverse - radiation first and surgery second - is not frequently successful.
Just food for thought as you navigate your way through these confusing stats, outcomes and recommendations.
Best
Phil