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Recent prostate cancer diagnosis

Properjob
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 Hello

I have recently been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer, Gleason score of 4+3, PSA of 6.2 at the age of 58.

MRI indicates that it has hopefully not spread but am having phone call tomorrow with consultant re Bone scan results.

I joined the forum a few days ago but this is my first post. I did have something witty to post but a nocturnal visit to the loo temporarily robbed me of my sense of humour!!

A favourite piece of advice I often give is that you can't cross a bridge until you get there!! And I have learnt the truth of this in the last few months.

Assuming tomorrow goes ok I will be considering and deciding on my course of treatment v soon. I am leaning towards surgery rather than radiation therapy.

I am not asking for advice as the decision will need to be mine and I will live with the outcomes. I know my family will also.

I'm relatively young, reasonably active and fit. I work full-time and am a carer for my wife when home.

 Any words of by wisdom or things to consider would be greatly appreciated.

Take care and hopefully speak soon.

 

  • Hello Properjob and welcome to the forum. 

    I'm sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. It's great though to hear that you have such a positive approach to tackling this! It certainly will stand you in good stead. 

    How did your appointment go yesterday? I hope that the Consultant was able to give you some reassurance about the scan results. 

    If there's anything you'd like to chat through with our nurses you're welcome to give them a call. They're available Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm on 0808 800 4040. 

    Keep in touch and let us know how you get on. 

    Best wishes, 
    Jenn
    Cancer Chat moderator 

  • Offline

    Hi the person you want to talk to is [@telemando]‍  he's had his out years ago and still pops on forum now and again.

    I'm like you look after my wife she has Alzheimer's and Parkinson's plus other problems.   My prostate cancer has gone to lymph nodes spine ribs pelvis and a lung, PSA was 1580 Gleason 4+4   T3B N1 M1B I was diagnosed Feb 2016 ,i just have to live with my uninvited guest.

    Hope things go well and [@telemando]‍  gets in touch soon.

    Take care keep safe,watch out for rickety bridges.

    Billy

  • Offline in reply to Billygoatt

    Hi Billgoat. Thank you for the reply, much appreciated. I will indeed lookout for rickety bridges.

    My PC has not spread beyon prostate, bone scan results good. Much relief all round.

    Thanks for advice ... Will contact Telemando.

    Take care.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Offline in reply to Properjob

    Hi Properjob.

    Telemando here.  Still here after 10 years.  I was diagnosed at age 56.  PSA 6.4,  Gleeson 3+4. So not too different from your situation.  I had a robotic radical prostatectomy in December 2010.  Back to work after three months, then retired at age 61. 

    I see your MRI showed no evidence of spread and you're waiting for bone scan results. Best of luck with those - let's hope they're clear.

    If you have any questions or want to talk, just post a followup reply to this thread.

  • Offline in reply to telemando
    Hi Telemando Yes, we have v similar circumstances. I am also looking at early retirement and my bone scan gave me the all clear. I know the cancer can reappear but hopefully radiation therapy after the surgery will zap anything remaining. It's good to hear that you are 10 years post op and doing well. You returned to work after 3 months, how did the first few weeks go after the operation and was returning to work problematic? Take care & speak soon. Properjob
  • Offline in reply to Moderator Jenn

    Many thanks for your concern.

    Good news ... The bone scan was clear. Consultant said there will be radiation therapy after the surgery.

    This is presumably to zap any remaining trace of cancer. Without being alarmist are there any statistics for reoccurrence of the cancer after surgery and Radiation therapy?

    Take care

    Properjob

  • Offline in reply to Properjob

    Returning to work wasn't too bad. I was a university lecturer and the timing meant that I returned around Easter.  At that point, teaching had finished and we were in the exam season.  Marking is always a mad time, but it can be done at home, so there's no commuting.

    I spent the summer as always - reworking my existiing courses and writing a new one ready for the students to return in October. By the time that came around, I was ready for the fray.

  • Offline in reply to Properjob

    I'm sure the statistics for reoccurrence exist, but by their very nature, they're going to be out of date. The good news is that, even if you do get a reoccurrence, you've still got a 99% chance of surviving the next 10 years and probably a lot longer after that.  So think of that as the worse case scenario.

    You need to cross each bridge as you get to it.  The next step is to get the operation, then see if your PSA drops close to zero (less than 0.1) within 6 weeks, and whether the surgical margins are clear.  If both of those happen, then it's a really good sign, but if not then that's why you're having the follow up radiotherapy.

    No one can predict what will happen. Perhaps this will be a chronic condition that you'll have to live with.  In all likelihood, you'll die of something else before this gets you - although I'm not sure whether that's a comfort or not ;-)  

    Hopefully, the pandemic will be over the worst and we can start to open up the country.  Once that happens, I suggest you look out out for a local prostate cancer support group to join. 

     

  • Offline in reply to telemando

    Thanks ... Again similar, I used to lecture on Law and manage a number of Business and Professional courses at a F&HE College. That was before we relocated to Wales for family and lifestyle reasons. For the last 10 years I have worked with offenders and the homeless.

    Am going to have to check if 20 years teaching pension will fund early retirement with hopefully some part time work.

    Also, this has given a certain clarity to things and I do not intend to work all the hours for another 8 years or so to have little time left to enjoy life.

    Plan B etc.

  • Offline in reply to telemando

    Thanks again ... Sound advice.

    I am just gathering information for possible life options ... I may be able to retire early, may be early 2022.

    This last few months has thrown many givens into the air and a plan B is likely to be the fallout!

    Best regards

    Properjob

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