Living with Prostate Cancer: Meet others & introduce yourself

Somi: there are also manganese based contrast agents and iron based contrast agents. The doctor, or a second opinion doctor should be able to give your husband a feel for the allergic issues.

Maybe he can be tested for allergic reactions from contrast ingredients before he makes that decision to get contrast in an MRI.

If your husband solves the contrast issue, then he will need to get the best image available to him so that they can treat him more effectively. The more precise you can be with the radiation both in terms of the cancer and healthy tissue, the better off your husband will be and the less likely your husband will have difficult side effects and quality of life issues.

In terms of the sciatica, I personally did not have it as it related to prostate cancer only as it related to disc issues years ago.

Thank you, @bens1. I’ll tell my husband. Aside from iodine and gadolinium, is there anything else? I know you suggested for him to call his doctor, but he’s afraid of what he‘ll say and is pretty firm on having it done without the contrast., if we can find a place that will do it. He’s having discomfort along the right side of his body from the waist down to his leg. He thinks maybe it’s sciatica, but I wonder if it has something to do with the elevated PSA, or perhaps long-term use of PPIs. Have you heard of this happening? Thanks again, it really helps to share these concerns of ours.

Somi: there are a couple of other contrast choices that minimize any allergic reaction. Ask your doctor. A Center of excellence Radiation oncologist told me if you can see it, you can treat it. Good imaging through the whole process is really important.

Once the MRI of the prostate is done, and read correctly, then the biopsy is used to confirm whether cancer exists or not and other details. Use the biopsy material for a decipher genetic test to evaluate aggressiveness.

Thank you for welcoming me to the group. I’ve actually joined for my husband who has an elevated PSA and symptoms (he wakes up once, sometimes twice at night to urinate.) He’s 71, and his PSA has steadily risen, 2.8 in 2019, 6.71 in 2022, and in 2023, 36.4. He went to the urologist and nothing was detected on DRE. The doctor ordered labs, another PSA and an MRI with and without contrast. He refuses to do the contrast MRI because a radiologist friend of his told him that he has lost 3 patients due to allergic reactions. I would like to know if any of you have been diagnosed with the non-contrast MRI only, or if any other tests were needed. Thanks so much - this is all very frightening.

Two days ago- May 8 2023 - The New York Times published an article regarding prostate screening for men. You can find it here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/08/health/prostate-cancer-screening.html
The first paragraph reads: Too Many Older Men Are Still Screened for Prostate Cancer
Most have low-risk cancers and rarely benefit from treatment, a new study finds. Actively monitoring the condition is often the best choice.

Melcanada that is straight to the point. And, for some reason hilarious. Thanks.

You have 10 fingers and a tongue 🙂

I did the same with Gleason 9 I think that we both made the best decision based upon expert medical advise Best if Luck

Hello Ed, your situation is exactly the same as mine. I was diagnosed with Gleason Score 7 (4/3) in the Fall, 2022. I did significant research for two months to ensure I would make the best decision for my situation (healthy, active, no other medical issues). I decided to go with a radical prostatectomy because the cancer was localized to the prostate. The surgeon and his medical team at Mayo-Rochester were amazing (minimally invasive robotic assisted). In the end, they took the prostate, seminal vesicles, and 7 lymph nodes. The final biopsy was good, negative margins and no cancer in the lymph nodes. There is still a chance for the cancer to come back, but I feel so much better knowing that the cancerous prostate has been taken out of my body.
I agree with other comments, every situation is unique and each person needs to make their treatment decisions based on their individual expectations for life going forward. For myself, I am living with the ED side effects, but have done well regaining continence. Compared to living with metastasized prostate cancer, I see the trade-offs as minimal. My uncle died of metastasized prostate cancer and the pain was significant for years. Looking in from the outside, this lay person would recommend addressing your prostate cancer while it is still localized. My opinion - A few weeks of pain from surgery are significantly better than pain for the rest of your life.

Take care and best of luck with your decision.

Jim

Ed, You gotta do what you gotta do.