How many had a previous PSA before / How many didn’t?

Posted by fuzzy123 @fuzzy123, Jul 17, 2023

I never had a PSA test and honestly didn’t even know what PSA meant !!!

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@michaelcharles

Hbp:
Very kind and generous.
Fuzzy was dx'd 1 year ago; has had radiation and ADT; and is in remission. He is on Abiraterone and prednisone; a more recent development and combination of meds.
With much respect for your advanced PCa, my sense is that Fuzzy may have been told that he has a 50% chance of recurrence in 5 yrs. At which time, there are other txs available today, and hopefully additional txs then.
With G 9 and EPE, and BCR at 90 days post RP, together with salvage radiation and ADT, I must anticipate a very high liklihood (almost a guarantee) of future recurrence. Hell, I am still waiting and praying for undetectable PSA and evidence of remission at my Nov 2023 PSA testing. That will be over 18 mos of continous testing and treatment with no "quiet period ".
Many on this site have experienced a number of "events" over time and medication changes/challenges, and are grateful for the improvements and advances. And handled it all with dignity and grace. As you have.
Of course, we all wish and pray for "more and better".
God Bless us all.

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Hi, Unfortunately I was told that I had a 50% chance of surviving 5 years 🙈 Not a 50% chance of recurrence 🙈

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The doctors are not 100% correct but they give you logical guidance as to how you can wisely proceed, such as advise that “this is a relatively slow moving cancer, but nevertheless, it is good to put your affairs in order”. 25 years ago Michael Millikan, a famous multifaceted billionaire, was given a PC prognosis of 2 years. He is still alive and active and that is not because he is rich. Hence, it is important to have a good mindset, live for the present, hope to outdo your prognosis and be prepared for events going south. If you are living a fearful, panic existence, then get some counseling, get some prescribed medication and up the amount of time that you are active, take more control of your life. Like Michael Millikan, your journey may be a long one or new medications or old medications might cure us or extend our lives. There is still much that we can do to help ourselves and help our families. Get over fear and panic as such emotions are detrimental to us and those that we love. This is my advice to others, but to me as well.

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Age 70, so I've had a PSA test, generally once a year for many years. PSA eventually slowly started to rise. I was above 5 in 2017. In 2021, at 7.8, my GP recommended I see a urologist. The urologist recommended a biopsy. An MRI was not an insurance-covered option at that time. I declined the biopsy. PSA continued to rise. MRI finally became an option and I was still above 7. Feb 2022 MRI that found four lesions (one PR-RADS 5). May 2022 biopsy showed cancer at "unfavorable intermediate risk" Gleason 3+4. Met with surgeon and radiologist. They, and my urologist, said I needed to take care of it. I put myself on "watchful waiting" since my Decipher (genome) test showed me at "low" risk for metastatic cancer. Dec 2022 PSA test above 11. Mar 2023 I had a second MRI that showed rapid growth of lesion pushing against capsule ("skin" of prostate). April 2023 I had two sessions of HDR (high dose rate) brachytherapy.

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Don’t play patty cakes with cancer.

Every man that you meet, that had prostate cancer 20 years ago was over treated to some degree.

Every man that you meet that is metastatic and terminal, was under treated or under monitored.

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@groundhogy

Don’t play patty cakes with cancer.

Every man that you meet, that had prostate cancer 20 years ago was over treated to some degree.

Every man that you meet that is metastatic and terminal, was under treated or under monitored.

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100%

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