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Prostatectomy Question? Side effects outweigh benefits?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Aug 27, 2023 | Replies (64)Comment receiving replies
So, what my docs told me is that you really can't determine if the cancer has spread until you are in there. All the scans and blood tests in the world won't give them as clear a picture as literally going inside and taking a look. I had robotic surgery so it wasn't quite as invasive as the original method.
And Yes, when in there they found that it had spread. They had to send it all off to a lab to before they made any treatment recommendation. They didn't schedule any treatments until after the results came back. Unfortunately, my cancer was so aggressive that after the results came back I underwent, hormone, chemo, and radiation therapy.
So, if you asked me... let 'em do the surgery (since they recommended it) and be prepared for more news and treatments in the future.
Replies to "So, what my docs told me is that you really can't determine if the cancer has..."
Sending lots of healing wishes. Did you have a PSMA PET?
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Thanks for the information and I truly hope you are doing better after all of those treatments. That’s quite a lot to handle both physically and emotionally for you and your family.
We have a second opinion next week with a surgeon who is top notch in my area. I have been reading up and becoming more familiar with treatment options and standards as many doctors do not give you the full picture with important details from my experience.
I picked up Dr. Patrick Walsh’s book Surviving Prostate Cancer (1st Edition) which is a bit outdated but useful. I found out there was a 4th edition released in 2018 and there will be a 5th edition coming early October.
I wish these doctors would explain things better so those who are diagnosed with PC can understand it better. There’s so much to learn it seems, and even more importantly the options were not explained in detail for example if you choose radiation therapy you cannot remove the prostate if your PC returns but there are other options like Cryotherapy and Hormone Therapy. Still not ideal, which is why I am choosing an RP personally.