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Advanced prostate cancer, good hospital to go to?

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Posted 3/23/2016 6:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
My Dad, who is 64, and was otherwise healthy, is in the process of being diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. Appears to have spread to lymph nodes, but they are continuing to work him up for more mets, staging etc. Doctor told him we are looking at quality of life and it could be quick or he could have several years. We will know more next week. We are willing to travel anywhere. Just wasn't sure if there was a center that specializes in advanced prostate cancer or where there were clinical trials. We really just want the best doctors we can find to make sure we are doing everything we can. I suppose it could be too far advanced as well, but we are trying think positive and look ahead. Thanks
Posted 3/23/2016 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
Where a you? There are a lot of great doctors in most areas.

Can you provide the information including PSA, Gleason score, volume, etc. How do they know it has spread? Have they begun any type of treatment? This will help members provide you with the best advice.

Sorry you are here, but you will get a lot of help.
Posted 3/23/2016 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
64 stage IV T3a n1 m1 PC met to lymph node hip and T-11 Treated with lupron after urologist said at age surgery not option Rad oncologist said come to me when in pain. Change Diet PALEO esp no starches or sugars. waited a year traveled to MD Anderson Houston 950 miles 17 hours they recommended 45 day of radiation for local control. Lupron shrank PC back to 3 cm in dia. lymph node .9 mm I could not afford to go for 10 weeks physically, emotionally,and financially to live in a hotel by myself leaving my support group and job. Local Doctors agreed Completed radiation True beam march 7th 2016 in Colorado . Good luck in your Choice for it is yours on all treatment read all you can this is a good form.
Posted 3/23/2016 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry to hear of your father's diagnosis. Please supply more details when you have them so we can point you in some useful directions. It would also help to know where your Dad is located - there are many centers of excellence around the US and it's better to have one closer, I think.

Hormone therapy will delay progression, and is probably the next step after the imaging studies. If those suspicious lymph nodes are cancerous, it should shrink them rapidly.

The bone scans will tell you a lot more. If there weren't a lot of infected pelvic lymph nodes, sometimes it can still be cured with pelvic radiation using a combination of brachytherapy to the prostate and external beam to the pelvic area. Mayo is experimenting with surgical removal of the prostate and all the pelvic nodes. But radical treatments are futile if it has spread beyond the local area.

If there are distant metastases already the combination of Taxotere and hormone therapy has proven to significantly delay progression. There is a great clinical trial at NIH where they are combining that with an immunotherapy called Prostvac. But let's talk more when you know more.

You should know that there are a LOT of treatments and medications that have recently become available, and based on his current diagnosis, there's no reason why he won't respond to them.

- Allen
Posted 3/23/2016 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you everyone, I feel better that there seem to options. I will know the full details next week.
Posted 3/23/2016 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Why Now, when you come back next, please let us know where you're located. I'd be willing to bet that someone in this forum knows someone good near you.

A good place to start is to google search "prostate cancer centers of excellence" or "top 10 cancer centers". One of them will be near you.

Keep us posted as you learn more about your situation.
Posted 3/23/2016 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
There is wealth of knowledge and support here. I don't have much knowledge but I am well able to share some support. Please read through the Walsh's "Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer" if you haven't. Great info about everything. Stay strong and informed.
Ed
Posted 3/24/2016 12:59 AM (GMT 0)
Why now

You might want to contact Dattoli Cancer Center in Sarasota FL. He treats only prostate cancer and deals mostly with advanced cases. Google Dattoli. They will schedule one hour phone consult but you need details on all tests, biopsys and treatments to date. That's where I went after failed RP and SRT. So far so good.
Bob
Posted 3/24/2016 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
I meant to say they are in the Ft.Myers, FL area for winter and Chicago for summer.

Thank you so much everyone! It is helpful to have a place to go for support! I will check back with an update next week.
Posted 3/24/2016 5:34 PM (GMT 0)
At 64 years, he is not yet on Medicare...So be careful with treatments until you have insurance pre-approval.. If you are not careful, you can spend a lot of money and not get much benefit....
Posted 3/25/2016 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
As others have said, Dattoli has a great reputation in Florida. Chicago, I don't know any specific names. A good place to start, I'd expect, would be U of C or Rush.

In Chicago, you're not that far from Detroit (Henry Ford) or St. Louis, which is where I got treated.
Posted 3/25/2016 4:08 PM (GMT 0)
Dr. Brian Moran in Chicago Prostate Center is excellent.

I saw him twice and he did not try to force his services on me but rather explained the pros and cons of each service I was considering.

However you should put the most weight on opinion of each doctor in their own specialty and less weight on their opinions of other services not directly in their practice.
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