newly diagnosed with prostate cancer

Diagnosed in Jan. 2012 have been watching PSA clime slowly till last year when the rise was faster since 2004 all the DRE and biopsy have been negative up till the one taken in December 2011, Gleason score was 3+3 doctor said it was caught early something about T1CNXMO. I am still trying to figure that one out. Looking to have robotic surgery in May.

Take your time deciding what to do and educate yourself. There are no do-overs. Consider all your options. Please ask any questions you may have. There are a lot of guys here with great knowledge and experience. You can read what I went through by clicking on the link in my signature.

Hey, Chief, sorry you have to be here.  Are you active duty or retired?  Some more information on your age and general health would be helpful, but Casey did a great job of giving you an overview of where you stand.

The best thing you can do right now is to read everything you can about prostate cancer and its treatment, but be sure you read authoritative materials, not just the first thing that pops up when you Google "prostate cancer."  At the top of the page listing current threads, you should see a permanent topic about prostate cancer resources, and links to books and other materials.

I worked for the Navy for 28 years and am about 20 months post surgery, but my cancer was more advanced and posed a higher immediate risk than yours, so don't jump into any decisions.  You have options that may range from Active Surveillance to brachytherapy, to external beam radiation or proton beam, so be sure to read, read, read, and insist that your doc advises you on the practicality of these various approaches.

Best of luck to you.

Sorry for your diagnosis, but I’m glad you found this forum. I’ve gotten a lot of information and encouragement from the people here. They are very knowledgeable and caring.

You’ve already stated your Gleason was 6, but it would be good to know your age, what your PSA readings have been, the number of cores taken at your biopsy, how many cores were positive for cancer, and the percentage of cancer in each core. That way you could get better advice from the forum. You should get a copy of your biopsy report. Consider getting a second opinion on your biopsy slides. My slides got slightly upgraded: stayed at Gleason 6, but the percentage of cancer went up. I have also heard of the pathology results being downgraded. The experts most often mentioned on the forum are Dr. Epstein at Johns Hopkins and Bostwick Labs.

Since you are Gleason 6, you know this is slow growing cancer, so you have time to do your research and weigh your options. All treatment options are likely to be appropriate for you, including Active Surveillance, surgery, brachytherapy, and IMRT. Dr. Patrick Walsh’s Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer is an excellent book and a good starting point.

I would urge you to get a second opinion from another surgeon and that you see a radiation oncologist. When you go for your consults, be sure to have a list of questions and take notes. You might also consider recording the conversation (with the doctor’s permission) as you can’t write down everything. I wish I had done this.

Also, when scheduling a second opinion look into the multi-disciplinary programs that are available. These are set up so you can see more than one specialist in one day. I went to one at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and I know MD Anderson has one in Houston. At Hopkins, they do a physical/medical history in the morning, and while you go to lunch, the surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and pathologists meet to discuss your case. Then in the afternoon you meet with the specialists that are appropriate for you.

Lastly, I can’t stress enough that the experience of the doctor doing whatever procedure you choose is paramount in your outcome. Ask what his numbers are. If he won’t say or is evasive – find someone else. For surgery there are definitive studies that demonstrate better outcomes if your surgeon has done 250+ procedures. A radical prostatectomy (open or robotic) is a very complex operation, one of the most difficult surgeries in medicine. If you choose surgery, in my opinion, you want someone who’s done over 750 of that particular procedure (open or robotic) and you want someone who does at least 3 per week.

Good luck on your journey.

Chief, you found a great place to hang out and get alot of good info. I just recently found HW, wish I would have found it sooner. I was diagnosed September 2011 and had the robotic surgery on December 2011. I am 44 has 1 of 12 cores positive, Gleason 4+4, T1c and negative DRE. I did alot of research but I really knew what route I wanted to go. My surgery went great, all nerves spared... Still a little leak here and there and a little ED but hasn't been bad enough to stop the action. Cialis didnt seem to help so the docter gave me some Viagra that I haven't tried yet. Good luck with your researching and your final decision.... Very important that you are comfortable with your doctor and your decision. I have no regrets and the final pathology lowered me to a 4+3 from a 4+4. Once again good luck and keep us posted, Jeff

Chief, sorry you need to join our band of merry men, but glad you found us on the net.

My father did 30 years in he navy and retired as an E-9 Chief, a YN. I was also in the navy during Nam, and was a PN.

The good news, is that on the surface, you have an "entry" level case of PC going on. What is good, is that you have plenty of time to consider all treatment options, or perhaps you consider watching carefully, what is known as AS.

Robotic is a common primary treatment, but you may be a better candidate for radiation seeds, which would be less invasive, and generally would diminish your chances of ED and/or incontinenc issues.

Now is the time to get yourself better educated on PC, and the choices ahead.

We are here for you,and will support whatever decision you make. It's your choice, your body, and your cancer. Think long, choose wisely, as there are no "re-do" buttons once you make a treatment choice.

David in SC