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Positive for prostate

Mike C
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Hi all. I am new here, 63 years old, an Englishman in Spain, just diagnosed with prostate cancer and am not able, cos of the language which I am rubbish at, to easily ask about this condition. I have a scan, tomorrow actually, and after that, after another doctors appt in a couple of weeks, am told I can choose between radiation and surgery. I am probably going to choose surgery but I am wondering how severe incontinence will be. Erection problems have been warned of too, can probably manage without one of them, but would not really like ongoing incontinence. How likely is it, how severe may it be? If there is a normal level, what is it and how long will it last?

I have every confidence in the public health service here, I have been treated very well and facilities seem good. To be honest, I am having trouble being very concerned by this diagnosis. I tell myself now and then that its cancer, not a cold, but I believe that if I have surgery I will be fine as far as the cancer goes.

Also, I really dont understand what tomorrows scan is for. Is it for determining whether the cancer is elsewhere too? I have not been able to find a clear answer to these questions elsewhere online so am hoping someone here can fill me in.

All the best to everyone

Mike

 

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    Hi Mick C,

    Welcome to this friendly forum. I would think you are correct and the scan is probably to check if the cancer has spread. I had both an MRI scan and a CT scan and luckily for me the scans showed the cancer was still contained within the prostate capsule.

    I cant answer you question about the incontenance as I had hormone therapy and radiotherapy and have made a good recovery despite my psa being quite high at 70.

    Take care, and please let us know how you get on, Brian.

  • Offline in reply to woodworm

    Thank you for the reply. Scan was ok, but the tube was quite small and after 45 minutes it was all quite painfull, relatively. I go back 28 December to find the results of this.

    Fingers crossed.

    Mike

  • Offline in reply to Mike C

    Hi Mike C;

    Surgery or radiotherapy in not the only option for the treatment of prostate cancer. Everything depends on the spread and biology of the disease. The spread of prostate cancer CT, MRI or other imaging techniques with understandable. Today's best imaging method that shows the spread of prostate cancer is PSMA-PET.

    Biology of the disease depends on PSA test and Gleason score. After these tests if your disease is early stage and low risk status, minimally invasive approaches plus hormone therapy may be the best option for you. These approaches are also called "non-operative interventional methods": cryoablation, HIFU, radiofrequency treatment methods.

     

    Best regards.

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