1. < Prostate Cancer

Questions for the Oncologist

Posted by zzotte @zzotte, 1 day ago

My first meeting with my oncologist it’s coming up, what it’s some important questions I should ask? I’m a bit lost in this whole PC thing I know what I have it’s some serious s*** but still can’t wrap my head around it. Thank you in advance
Zzotte

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

jeff Marchi | @jeffmarc | 11 hours ago
In reply to @northoftheborder "In my hospital chart from 2021, I recently noticed that my then-radiation oncologist referenced STAMPEDE as..." + (show)
@northoftheborder

In my hospital chart from 2021, I recently noticed that my then-radiation oncologist referenced STAMPEDE as justification for doing radiation on my prostate despite the fact that my cancer was/is stage 4 oligometastatic.

Apparently that was still a new-ish idea in 2021, so he felt a need to explain himself. Also, the team's head oncologist was on leave and he was a resident, so a clear decision trail was probably doubly important. (He supervises his own team now, and well-deserved IMO).

Jump to this post

Now that is a forward looking doctor. They do find that removing the prostate really is essential in people who have advanced cases, so that it stops them from continuing to infect the body with prostate cancer.

REPLY
1 reply
northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | 4 hours ago
In reply to @jeffmarc "Now that is a forward looking doctor. They do find that removing the prostate really is..." + (show)
@jeffmarc

Now that is a forward looking doctor. They do find that removing the prostate really is essential in people who have advanced cases, so that it stops them from continuing to infect the body with prostate cancer.

Jump to this post

I think every day of how lucky I was back in 2021. I knew nothing about prostate cancer — we didn't even know it *was* prostate cancer until after my spinal surgery — and when I first met my RO I was paralysed on a stretcher and hadn't been able to eat for a couple of weeks.

I made it clear I wanted to fight, but to be honest, I would have done whatever he suggested after that. My body was in emotional and physical shock, and at the time I had neither the knowledge nor the energy to advocate for myself the way so many others here in the forum do.

But it's also unfair that anyone has to do that. I wish it weren't just dumb luck whether a cancer patient with a new diagnosis (in Canada or the U.S.) gets assigned to a med team that's up on the latest research and treatments.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.