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Living with Prostate Cancer: Meet others & introduce yourself
Welcome to the Prostate Cancer group on Mayo Clinic Connect.
This is a welcoming, safe place where you can meet others living with prostate cancer or caring for someone with prostate cancer. Let's learn from each other and share stories about living well with cancer, coping with the challenges and offering tips.
I'm Colleen, and I'm the moderator of this group, and Community Director of Connect. Chances are you'll to be greeted by fellow members and volunteer patient Mentors, when you post to this group. Learn more about Moderators and Mentors on Connect.
Follow the group. Browse the topics or start a new one.
Let's start with introductions. When were you diagnosed with prostate cancer? What treatments did you have? Tips to share?
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HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
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Carl, I agree with @safari1949 that you should consult with a urologist. A rising PSA can mean several different things, and not necessarily cancer. But it warrants further investigation. Here's more info on PSA:
- Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Test https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet
Stay in touch and let us know what you find out.
Thank you.
You really need to see a urologist sooner than later.
Thank you for the invite. I currently don’t know if I have prostate cancer, but my PSA has risen from 2.1 to 3.1 last year to 4.2 this year. My GP is suggesting a wait and see with blood test every six months. Is this normal and what would be next step. I’m almost 73 and blessed with good health. Thanx for any advice in advance.
I have a good friend who just did the hormone and radiation therapy after previously having had surgery to take out the prostate. He was expecting various consequences but said that the hormone therapy did not produce the hot flashes as expected, so effects can vary for different people.
Since your last post on the Proton Beam radiation was 8 months ago I'm wondering if you have anything to add about early or long term side effects and if you still think the Proton Beam was a good protocol for you. I have been leaning .toward surgery but i see a lot of men that have opted for radiation therapy.......
@waynen Did you contact Mayo directly or did you have your MD in OR do it?
Hi @crozi01, welcome to Connect. @peekaafighter talks about Active Surveillance or watchful waiting in this discussion:
- PSA Doubling Time Under Active Surveillance https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/psa-doubling-time-under-active-surveillance/
You might also be interested in this:
- Video Q&A about Cancer and Genetics https://connect.mayoclinic.org/webinar/video-qa-about-cancer-and-genetics
Hearing the diagnosis of cancer is a tough blow. How are you doing today?
Yes, it is. I had to wait over a week to get biopsy results. Longest week of my life. Things moved fast after Mayo accepted me. Met with my doctor less than a week later.
@waynen Thanks so much for your encouragement! Now if I can only last 3 weeks until I get the results; the waiting is the worst.
Yes, I spend about 6 months in Phoenix area and have an appointment twice a year to check PSA and bone density (for Lupron treatment). Those are things that you can have checked locally and share with them. I share my results with Oregon doctors. They have patients from all over the world. I'm sure they can accommodate the distance.The only issue would be if your PSA starts rising again. They would probably have you do a choline C11 pet scan to find any cancer cells in your body. If you have more cells, treatment would follow.
The staff at the Phoenix Mayo are great to work with and are open to whatever you want. They're probably comparable to Rochester's staff. The best of luck to you. After you make your decision, don't look back.