I was diagnosed in Dec with PCa. I am 68 yrs old and had 10 years of up and down psa numbers treated as prostatitis. At biopsy time my psa was 8 and Gleason was 8. Seven out of seven cores on the left lobe were 90% involved with tumor while five out five on the right lobe were negative; it was staged T2a by my Urologist and he recommended radiation and ADT. Bone scan and CT scan was negative.
I went to an Oncologist a friend recommended since I couldn't get in to see a Radiation Oncologist for a month. He gave me a 3 month shot of Lupron and ordered a PET scan which showed PCa confined to left lobe. He suggested I look at proton therapy. I called MD Anderson and got a immediate refusal because they do not take anyone with a Gleason higher than 7. I contacted Loma Linda and was advised that they were running behind schedule and would see if I could be accepted.
I then saw the Radiation Oncologist here locally. He gave me an exam and after the DRE, he said the prostate was rock hard on the left lobe and I had T4 high risk PCa. He said in March he would start radiation of the pelvic area, lymph nodes and prostate along with Vantas implants. He also told me that there was not a very good chance of keeping my psa down for 2 years. He said he would start chemo in 1 ½ to 2 years and according to the Roach study that the 5 year prognosis was not favorable. He said Pet scans weren't used for PCa and when I mentioned proton therapy he advised me that I had no idea about the seriousness of my PCa.
Thee following week Loma Linda called and said I was scheduled for a consultation on March 11. They advised me to expect proton, photon and ADT. I don't see my local Oncologist for a month.
The review of my biopsy came back yesterday from Mayo and was reclassified as a Gleason 9(5+4).
Any advice is appreciated.
Bob E
Post Edited (herefishy) : 1/30/2008 10:54:08 AM (GMT-7)