@heavyphil I am on active surveillance with TRT, Gleason 6. Originally my urologist took me off TRT was pushing for prostatectomy, but Moffit Cancer Center put me back on TRT and has me on active surveillance. Blood test every 6 months, MRI every 12, and biopsy every 18 months.
Food for thought: There is a ton of emerging data that suggests that there is NOT a linear connection between testosterone and prostate connection.
There was a bipolar androgen study that showed small doses of testosterone increased cancer growth, while high doses (beyond saturation levels) actually stopped the cancer growth in later stage prostate cancer.
Another study out of the UK showed that there was NO statistical difference in outcome between those who were put on active surveillance, those who had radiation, and those who had a prostatectomy over 5, 10, and 15 year periods.
Several META and population studies showed that the patients they monitored over a multi year period who were on TRT and active surveillance showed no increase in PC growth. My Urologist has patients on TRT and active surveillance for several years with the same results.
Although the emerging data is not conclusive, it demonstrates that the prevailing theory that "using testosterone is like putting gasoline on a fire" is not accurate and that there is NOT necessarily a linear connection between the two.
These studies I found were enough to question three urologists who I consulted with who all admitted that "they really just do not know" and that there is much they have to learn about the interaction of testosterone and prostate cancer. One was the surgeon who was to perform the prostatectomy had I agreed to go forward with the procedure.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and you should always follow your doctor's instructions.
@floridanad Glad that your docs have you on close watch; and I agree that the PCa /T link should be challenged more often based on the studies you’ve cited and the ambiguity often seen in their respective amounts.
My main focus was on your comment about them (or you) waiting for a Gleason8/metastases before doing anything.
You’d want to act way before that! Good Luck,
Phil