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Seeking advice on treatment options
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Oct 6, 2023 | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
No medications have been offered or even discussed. I think those are supersessive and not curative and being 55 years old we are looking to cure.
I am considering surgery as well but the recurrence rates still being substantial, I am having a hard time committing to that. The amount of grade 4 cancer present in a small prostate is what has me ready to react in addition to the fact that Mayo docs advised we treat it now. I am very confused at the moment and hope to have some clarity soon.
Thank you all so much for your input. Very much appreciated!
Replies to "No medications have been offered or even discussed. I think those are supersessive and not curative..."
Take your time on self-education and evaluating options. This isn't a house fair that requires water in minutes or the structure is destroyed, this is a forest fire and your scope and timeline is much more.
At age 60 my friend had GS7 and surgery and 11 years later his PSA is always below 0.1 - At age 41 I had GS6 (which became GS7) and surgery and 11 years later my PSA rose and now on ADT. Point of sharing this is that biochemical recurrence is a real risk of any treatment, but it surely isn't guaranteed.
The PCRI mid-year conference of Spring 2023 has many hours of excellent videos, it isn't the same as binge watching Netflix, but with the same mindset, 10-15 hours later you will know much more. https://pcri.org/2023-myu The PCF had a similar series in Fall of 2022
https://www.pcf.org/scientific-retreat/29th-annual/29th-annual-scientific-retreat-video-replays/
Keep the Faith. Stay Positive.
Your PSA hasn't risen much at all really but your biopsy results are rather dramatic given the number of cores now positive and the amount of the #4. Clearly this is a case where action is required. Your choice of seed implant/brachytherapy seems sensible to me. I am not a fan of surgery either but i understand the thinking of those who choose to go down that road.
The big question for your numbers are whether hormone treatment is required. I had a PSA of around 17, Gleason 4+3 (4 cores positive, only one with 4+3, Grade #4 was less than 10%) and chose to pass on hormone treatment.
What are your thoughts on this issue given your stats?
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The issue is systemic vs focal. If it is metatistic the standard of care is systemic. It unclear what it is from what you said. Anyhow, clinics like Mayo should be able to tell and give you the best care possible.
Dont mind me. I am just another layman trying to make some sense of the whole thing.