treatment of prostate cancer
treatment of prostate cancer questions and answers
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Q: treatment of prostate cancer?
A: I had prostate cancer at 51 years old, just 4 years ago. I was 3+3=6 Gleason.
I had the good fortune to interview about 10 Urologists about treatment. Also, my wife is a medical researcher. My doctor said I was the most educated patient he'd ever seen on this matter.
I started out thinking that radiation was the way to go, but ended up on the surgery table.
My doctor started doing the laprascopic method of surgery 1 month after I had my radical prostectomy. It would have shortened my recovery from 6 weeks to to 3 weeks.
The problem with radiation (cross beam or seed implants) is the effect it has on the bowel. Seed implants (brachytherapy) can be dangerous (but generally aren't) because seeds can 'travel' as far as the lungs.
The surgery was successful (so far). I had no incontinence, but am part of the approx. 65% of patients who never fully recover from the ED issue. I'm about 90% and probably won't change over time now.
If you have surgery try to have the laproscopic kind. Much kinder.
Q: help with dealing with boyfriend going through cancer treatment?
My boyfriend and I just started dating a few months ago -- we got close really fast and both fell in love as well. He is 30 yrs old and just recently got diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer. We are ALSO in a long distance relationship. He has told me several times that I'm not doing a good job of being supportive and during different arguments he will always say "fine I'll just go thru this treatment alone I don't need your help". I wanted to go with him to appointments and to his first treatment friday but he WON'T LET ME! Ever since then I have received all of 3 texts...I've told him how hurt I am by him not wanting me to be there and since I'm not physically there to KNOW what's going on, I have to ask questions and then he says I'm annoying with questions...but he barely tells me anything..I have no clue what hospital he has been to, no clue how treatment even went, he had to go back to the hospital after complications,etc etc. I just can't understand why he is shutting me out esp. when he tells me he loves me. How can he tell me I'm not being supportive yet refuses to even let me be, or says the effort I AM doing (being positive, loving, asking questions, researching, asking other cancer patients about experience) isn't good enough. He also says I don't "have any idea the type of person he is and I have no idea about the kind of support I should be giving". I've talked to people, researched cancer support websites and I don't really see how I'm far off with what I'm TRYING to do. He tells me he wants to get married and have a family someday...but you can't just push people out during critical times -- I don't know many married people who tell there wife or husband they can't talk to them or be there with them during treatment. A significant other is one of the FIRST people I would want with me. Can anyone help me to understand this?
I'm not trying to be selfish and I realize it is a confusing time but at the same time we ARE in a relationship. If he would rather just concentrate on treatment then we shouldn't even be a couple right now and I can just be a friend. I don't think I can last much longer being hurt by someone I care deeply for acting like I'm the last person they want to see and not even wanting to let them know basic information about what's going on. I know breaking up with someone during treatment would be horrible but I'm extremely hurt by these choices
A: One option could be that he is lying. I tend to think people wouldnt do that, but there are plenty of posts around here from it happening.
But I think I might know whats going on if he is telling the truth. When people know you have cancer, they treat you differently. Suddenly all the talk is about doctors reports and blood tests. All the concern is over your health. It quickly becomes the LAST thing you want to talk about, even to the people you care about the most.
Beyond that, you also have to remember that he is 'entertaining' some of his worst fears of death and dieing and being ill, as well as questioning what he did wrong to deserve this, and not wanting you to see him loose his dignity through treatment, and fear that you will leave him, or he will die and leave you. A lot of that is very hard to process in your own brain, much less talk about to someone else.
And there are actually PLENTY of people who wouldnt let their spouse in. People do it everyday. And spouses leave every day after finding out about their partner's cancer diagnosis as well.
My advice is as hard as it is, dont push him. Try just talking about/doing the things you would have talked about/done before the diagnosis. See what happens from there.
Q: Where can I find accurate information about the medicinal value of Green Tea as a cancer prevention?
I am undergoing treatment for prostate cancer and I want to do whatever I can to prevent recurrence
A: You can go here and search the medical literature yourself.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=PubMed
I did a search using green tea, prostate as my search terms and another using green tea, prostate, recurrence as my search terms and got hits in each search. Evidently there is quite a bit of speculation that habitual drinking of green tea might help prevent prostate cancer in the first place. less info about it's ability to prevent a recurrence. I do know there is a lot of speculation that drinking green tea regularly might stop you from getting additional skin cancers and supposedly helps repair the broken DNA that allows skin cancer to happen in the first place.
With all alternative cancer prevention ideas, you have to take them with a grain of salt. Today's miracle remedy might be tomorrow's next no no for the same situation. I will say that I started drinking green tea regularly a few years ago and now look forward to my morning and afternoon green tea. There are also capsules available that contain the extract from green tea that is supposed to slow or prevent cancer growth.
Green tea is inexpensive and safe so I do not think you could go wrong with trying it. I make a large pot (2 tea bags) in my coffee maker and just store the rest in a pitcher in the refrig so I do not always have to be brewing additional cups. 8 cups or one pot lasts me about 2 days.
Good luck with the prostate.
Q: does the gardasil treatment really help prevent cervical cancer?
I'll be getting the treatment. Keep in mind I have a family history of cancer. My mother has been fighting ovarian cancer, her uncle had skin cancer and her father had prostate cancer. Any helpful information would be great too.
A: Over 99% percent of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Gardasil protects against 2 strains of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 70% of cervical cancer (and the 2 strains that cause 90% of genital warts).
With respect to those strains 16 & 18, Gardasil has shown to be 100% effective. So yes, it definitely prevents cervical cancer.
Some people don't think Gardasil is that effective because it only reduces cervical lesions by about 45%. But the cervical lesions caused by other types of HPV are much less likely to progress to cancer than types 16 & 18.
And acutally, Gardasil has been shown to give some protection against other strains. It's not close to 100%, but you have your chance of lesions from other types of strains reduced by maybe 20-40%.
So yes, Gardasil definitely is helpful in preventing cervical cancer. Get it!
Q: I'm looking for a Cancer survivor/supporter pendant. Where should I look?
My mom and dad are in Tulsa at the Cancer Treatment Center.
My dad is being treated for prostate cancer. I would like to purchase a pendant I can wear in support of him. Does anyone know of a website I can look at?
P.S. I don't want one of those rubber bracelets.
A: These guys have pretty bracelets:
http://www.differenttwist.com/specific_cancers_prostate.cfm
and Choose Hope has some pretty stuff too:
http://www.choosehope.com/commerce/catalog.jsp?catId=47
Q: I want to research a doctors experience in the field of prostate cancer.I would like his standing in thisfield
I am looking ahead in the next six months or so to be given radiation treatments to destroy the cancer. The procedure is quite delicate and I would like to check my doctors track record for this procedure and not from him but from public records but I do not know how to go about this process. I would be anxious to hear from anyone that does know. Thanks.
A: Everyone gets auditted from someone these days so the information will be somewhere out there. Remember that this information has to be carefully interpreted eg some physicians select better cases to treat and may have better outcomes because of this. Ask your doc how many he's done and then just ahve faith. Numbers are just numbers at the end of the day and most people would actually be happier not knowing.
And radiotherapy instead of surgery suggests (atleast in the UK) non-curative treatment.
PS If you're friendly with a doctor I'd ask him for personal recommendations, he may even recommend someone if you're not on friendly terms. Remember doctors (should) get a broad level of experience and will have worked with at least a few local urologists/ radiologists. This route is much better than looking for statistics in my opinion
Q: My father has been diagonised with GLEASON score 5+4 for prostate cancer. Please guide me for proper treatment
his PSA count is 32 , age 74, one and half year back the biopsy test was negative . symtoms are difficulty to pass urine, his weight has been reduced but he says its because of age. Please please help me in giving direction for the next action to be taken. I am from India is there any medical institute that can do the treatment , what precaution I have to take for rest of his life?
A: That is not a good Gleason score but there is something you can do that has virtually no side effects. It is called Prostasol and it comes in capsules. I have used it for about two years now and it has dropped my post-surgery PSA down to 0.3 from 15.
Search for it on the web.
Q: Why is prostate cancer, along with other men's health issues, ignored?
Okay, I know I sort of asked this question before, but it seems as if prostate cancer awareness flew under the radar last month, as I heard September is prostate cancer awareness month, while breast cancer awareness is getting the full treatment. Nothing against breast cancer awareness, or women's health awareness, but what about men's health getting equal treatment. Do we want men to die?
A: of course not. Just people don't recognise others' suffering until it affects them directly. Guys also don't want to admit to their physical ailments as much as women do... if they did then men would be rallying for support as much as women do. It's a shyness problem, I guess. Men don't like to appear weak or in need of support.
Of course that's a generalisation, though. There are indeed male activists looking to improve the awareness of men's diseases.
Q: Why not have prostate removed?
I was told that if the radio-active pellets are chosen as treatment of prostate cancer and the cancer comes back, surgery to remove the prostate is not possible. Why not?
A: when they remove the prostate it almost always cuts the nerves that allows males to get erections
Q: Is the amount of cancer treatments mean something bad?
My uncle is going through cancer treatments, and he has to go 5 days a week for 7 weeks straight. Does this mean that he is bad off, or is this normal for first time cancer treatments? It is prostate cancer, I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but I was just wanting to know if this is normal or if it means his cancer is severe. I know cancer isn't good at all, but I was just wondering. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks
No, he still has his prostate, but they removed a hernia before they started treatment. I'm not sure of what kind of treatment he is taking, or if he is taking chemo.
A: I had brain cancer and I went 5 days a week for 6 weeks straight . Also taking chemo at the same time. It's pretty much standard treatment for many cancers. If the cancer was caught soon enough, he has a very good chance at recovery. Has his prostate been removed?
Q: What do you recommend for stage one prostate cancer?
My psa two months ago showed 4.4 Last week, a different lab said it was 6.4 resulting in a biopsy. 3 of the 12 samples showed cancer. This is stage One. Any recommendations on best treatment? I am 74 yrs. old and in great health otherwise.
Gleason score is six. Twelve biopsies were taken. Three were positive.
A: Recommendations for the “Newly Diagnosed” Prostate Cancer Patient
1. Do Not Panic! Many of us have been down this road before, and there is much to learn before you choose the solution “best for you.” You have had this thing longer than you think, and taking the time to do the proper investigation into your options will not hurt. Since you have posted on the Internet, you obviously have the means to do most of the research that you need to do. There is a wealth of knowledge and experience for you to draw on.
2. Do Not Accept the First Recommendation From the Urologist! (Or any other “first” recommendation) Get second, (or more) opinions from experts in other specialties. Depending on your Gleason score, you have time to figure this thing out! Gleason of 6 or less, take your time and be thorough; Gleason 7 and up, you need to do something sooner than later, but remember that it “is not going to kill you tomorrow,” so you still have time to do a good job of fact gathering. Your PSA value enters into this equation also. This is the time to learn and thoroughly examine ALL your options, because whatever you choose, you will live with the consequences the rest of your days.
3. I recommend that you also join “YANA” (You Are Not Alone”)
http://www.yananow.net/
Explore it. (My story is on YANA, under Mentor Experiences/Proton Beam). Study this site carefully; the author, Terry Herbert, is “One of Us.”
4. Consider Proton Beam Radiation Therapy (PBRT), which is only available at five “Centers of Excellence” in the U. S. This is the ONLY treatment (other than “Watchful Waiting” which of course has no side effects) that has the least amount of side effects, with at least comparable results to all other options. Usually you will not hear of this option from other doctors or specialists!
Do not allow the fact that the doctor did not mention it prevent you from considering this option along with the others! At the very least, study the records about PBRT and if possible, visit one of the centers for a consultation.
Disadvantages:
Nine weeks at one of only five centers that offer it.
High cost (Medicare and most insurance does cover it).
Full disclosure: I believe that PBRT results in the best chance for improved “Quality of Life” during and following treatment, and consider myself a “Proton Beam Advocate!”
I completed my PBRT in March of 2007.
5. Get Bob Marckini’s book, “You Can Beat Prostate Cancer …” and read it cover to cover BEFORE you visit your doctor again if possible. There is a wealth of information in this book!
Order from Amazon or from Bob at www.protonbob.com .
This recommendation is very important in terms of learning about prostate cancer.
6. Go here: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/protoninfo/
And join my Group to learn more.
Whatever method you choose for your treatment, you should be comfortable with it.
Be happy that you made the choice, based on your personal situation. This is many times better than accepting the recommendation of the diagnosing specialist, then later wondering why you did not do your “due diligence” and make your own decision!
Whatever method you choose, rest assured that the outcome, with experienced surgeons or other specialists, is approximately the same for most modalities. The major differences in the outcomes may be in “quality of life” issues, which may or may not happen in every case.
For me, these were the main drivers in my decision to receive proton beam therapy.