Greetings! My name is Dennis and I am 69 years old. I have been lurking here for a few weeks and decided it was time to introduce myself and tell my story.

In early November, I had a routine visit with my PCP’s office and the attending NP mentioned my PSA (4.63) had been steadily increasing and she recommended that I see a urologist. I was fortunate to be able to get an appointment the following week at which time arrangements were made for an MRI and biopsy. The MRI was clean, but the biopsy returned two of twelve cores with no more than 30% cancer (Gleason 3 + 4). The pathologist subsequently sent off a sample for Decipher testing. Meanwhile the urologist and I discussed treatment options and we both agreed that “active surveillance” seemed appropriate. The doc also sent me for a PSMA PET CT scan which showed the cancer was confined to the prostate. So far, so good.

Unfortunately the Decipher results then came back as high risk (0.84), so the “active surveillance” option was no longer on the table. My urologist and I discussed the pros and (significant) cons of surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy. He offered an opportunity to separately meet with a surgeon and RO to get more information., but I had already done some homework and felt that the radiation route would be best for me. I asked the urologist if the radiation treatment would be accompanied by hormone therapy and he replied that it would and he would be giving me injections every few months.

The next stop was a visit with the RO. He and his nurse spent a full 2 hours with me getting my background, discussing the process and side effects, and giving me a quick physical exam. The most interesting part of this discussion was that the RO was adamant that radiation (IMRT) would cure me without the need for hormone therapy. I reminded him of the high Decipher score, but he did not waver. His opinion was basically that “the cure was worse than the disease.” The hormone therapy would offer marginal benefit, but subject me to the well documented side effects. In short, over treatment.

So that’s where I am now. I go back to the urologist on March 9 to further discuss this with him and set up a time for the spaceoar insertion. My wife and I had previously made plans to travel for 3 weeks in April/May, so the treatment won’t begin until we return.

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it….at least for now. Thanks for reading and feel free to chime in with your opinions and thoughts.