Positive Margin

Of course I assume the pathology was drafted like mine so here goes: The size of the extension area is .3cm across at it's widest point. Very small but how far it extends cannot be specified because they did not get all of the extention. This is a very small penetration and is likely locally focal. Just for clarification, a positive margin is carcinoma to the point of where the knife made the cut. When a prostate is removed it is removed with some facia tissue and the wall of the prostate contained inside the specimen. The entire ares surrounding the prostate that is cut out is called the surgical margins. If any edge is positive then it is likely that carcinoma is on the other side of where the knife cut and still present. This does not mean that the "leftover" cancerous tissue is able to survive without the prostate gland, but rather it is possible that it has locally metastisized. You doctors seem to feel that it is so small (.3cm) that it does not as yet warrant a stage III diagnosis. They will still recommend radiating the area to be safe. And you may be done with it at that point. Good Luck and stay positive!

Tony

Positive has been quite a subject it would seem as many P/C victims that have had a positive margin report have had some further therapy

I have just completed Proton radiation Performed at @ Loma Linda CA after having been told that my (CLOSE positive margin) was showing a rise in the PSA trend. After Robotic surgery 17months prior @ City Of Hope CA

I am now a member of the Brotherhood of the Balloon painless but time consuming and have been told many positive things regarding the procedure.

I wish you well and stand with you as you are not alone in this venture we have many brothers out here and as many people working toward a cancer free goal!   

Hi Jeff, I'm not savvy on most of this. I learned alot from Tony. I think he would be a better source for more detailed information.

Joe

   BUMP for Tony   Hey ~ Bootheel, Sending a HUG your way.... and letting you know we are all right here while you are on your healing/recovery stepping-stone.... and we will be here for your PSA too!!!! Continue taking care of yourself and moving forward! Gentle Hugs and Warm Thoughts surround you. In Friendship ~ Lee & Buddy  Hey ~ Jeff, Here's a little more information to add to your knowledge base...   Hope this helps you ~ Lee ** Excerpts taken from “Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer” by: Patrick C. Walsh, M.D. (Professor of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions) and Janet Farrar Worthington.    Copyright 2001     Page 145 ** What about Perineural Invasion?   As cancers grow, they compress normal tissue, looking for “elbow room”—spaces with less resistance, where they can spread.   Nerves are usually surrounded by some empty space; for cancer, this is the real estate equivalent of a nice suburban lot with a big backyard—plenty of elbow room.   Thus, it’s not uncommon to find prostate cancer in the spaces around the nerves; this is called ‘perineural invasion.”   Because the nerves are most common close to the surface of the prostate, the findings of perineural invasion on a biopsy suggests that the cancer is close to the edge of the prostate, and may well have penetrated the capsule.   However—this is important to keep in mind— cancer that has penetrated the capsule can still be cured .   Which makes this a paradoxical finding—because, although men with perineural invasion are more likely to have capsular penetration than men without it, perineural invasion has no long-term impact on whether or not a man can be cured .   For this reason, some noted pathologists have suggested that it should not even be commented on when found in a biopsy, because it’s not worth worrying about .