I'm 69. diagnosed with prostate cancer in Feb 2023. My PSA was holding about 4 early in 2022 but had risen to 7.2 late in Nov 2022. had the DRE, felt firm. Insisted on an MRI in Jan 2023 before biopsy. It came back with a significant lesion and a PIRADS-5 indication supposedly all inside the prostate. Had the 8 targeted biopsies and 12 random biopsies; 12 of 20 were positive. Of the 12, six were 3+3, and six were 3+4. Based on the 3+4, and the high quantity of 4, I was given a t2c grade of cancer and an unfavorable grading.
While all this was going on, I was researching whether surgery or radiation was best with a wary eye on hormone therapy.
I talked with the urologist who kept throwing the surgery option at me. I then insisted on a visit with the radiation oncologist who said either radiation or surgery resulted in equal results. The radiation oncologist recommended a bone scan and CAT scan for any bone lesions that may exist and were missed earlier. There was one on a rib, though I had it since 2014 and it had not grown any (hmmmm).
He did say he would send my biopsies to Prolaris for review. Prolaris came back with a radiation only recommendation though it had a borderline hormone therapy option. Of all the research I did and conversation with a friend who had surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy, I said there would have to be a hard conversation with medical experts on hormone therapy usage for me if it came down to it for the same reasons you all have indicated.
I started daily radiation treatments (39 of them) on Apr 24, 2023. So far, the only side effects have been some infrequent diarrhea that may be caused by my diet or anxiety. I did the Space Oar gel insert before the radiation started. I was pretty adamant about no hormone therapy since it was not curative, only palliative treatment, or what medical folks here have said, delaying. HOWEVER, I did tell the radiation oncologist that if push came to shove, I would go along with his recommendation regarding hormone therapy. So far, no recommendation yet. I will deal with that later.
The bone scan finding still is in the back of my mind, one lesion on a rib.
This is one of those life's interesting journeys. I did have colon cancer in 2011; surgery and chemo which thoroughly sucked.