It finally happen - PC

NewDay said...

Haven't gotten the book yet, do plan to read it.

Hi NewDay, you posted this (above) last week, and I wanted to follow-up with you about how you like the book so far, and what "take-aways" you've learned.

You are very lucky...the author Dr Mark Scholz is absolutely one of the very top PC care providers in the world—he is doctor to many here at HW/PC, and many travel many miles to consult with him—and he has written this book precisely for men in exactly your situation...

Not laughing about the oils, but your PC sample being too small made me chuckle. As biopsy sampling technology has changed, today they are able to identify smaller and smaller samples. Not that long ago, they would have not even flagged this and you would have never known the difference. Yet another sign for you.....

But regarding the oils, please do realize the the naturally occurring variance of PSA (which has multiple contributors besides PC) is probably way beyond the impact of a few weeks of oils. The doctors will put it this way: The PSA test has poor "sensitivity" to prostate cancer.

NewDay said...

I have all the clinical data I am going to have on my current condition (see original post). Treatment decision time with the doctor is the first week of December.

Yikes!!! I hope not!!!

Hoping that instead you meant "check in with doctor in the first week of December," not "treatment decision time with the doctor in the first week of December"...cuz that would be what we call "rushing."

Once you have been diagnosed at USMD, shortly afterwards, a treatment (AS, Surgery, Radiation) choice is requested to be communicated.

Am sure its a CYA to ensure a direction was communicated/recorded back to the doctor. Of course the patient can always elect to do nothing. I bet there's a acknowledgement of "no treatment" to sign for that one.

STATUS UPDATE

Treatment decision day. After careful consideration with posting info and some additional research, I have chosen "Active Surveillance" treatment.

As per my original post, the current data indicates a "low" degree of non-aggressive (GS 6) cancer. Unfortunately, as posted earlier, the additional biological cancer DNA test (Oncotype) for confirming the non-aggressive type could not be performed. Cancer biopsy tissue to small to test. Sadly, I'll probably get another sample testing opportunity in the future.

I'm having the Mi-Prostate Score urine test done, identifies PC and the "type". In theory, if my wife's home natural oil PC treatment had any affect, the report should indicate no cancer detected. If it does indicate cancer, no harm on the natural treatment effort, the cancer type (aggressiveness) score will be a added value. For me, when you are dealing with cancer, all treatments (Natural, Clinical) are on the table. You just never know, when something simple may help to improve the situation.

Overall, mixed emotions. Am going solo on this, family and friends wanted me to remove the D## thing. Time will tell, hope the river card doesn't result in a "Bad Beat" for me.

Post Edited (NewDay) : 12/27/2015 11:01:01 AM (GMT-7)

Thanks for the update, NewDay.



Ya know, it'd be the wrong thing to tell someone what to do in situations like yours...everyone has to make up their own mind. So I wouldn't do that.

Also, it's kinda difficult to have a meaningful discussion about PC overtreatment with men who have just, themselves, clearly been overtreated...with all that they personally committed physically, psychologically and financially to their choice, they really don't deserve to hear someone telling them they did the wrong thing. So I wouldn't do that, either.

But you...I won't hold back saying that I believe you are making a good choice. You begin, today, working on your "advanced degree" in PC...you already have the basic education! Your program of study will include i) a search for a urologist who is very well versed in, and fully supportive of, men on AS (may or may not be your current doc), ii) steps YOU can take (diet, lifestyle) to help lower your possibility for PC advancement (and probably add years to your life, too), iii) learning to comfortably communicate about AS to others (friends, family).

Post Edited (NKinney) : 12/2/2015 1:53:40 PM (GMT-7)

This may or may not be appropriate for this thread, but in reading nearly all the responses there was mention of GS being either upgraded or downgraded after surgery. well that was my experience. To be brief, my one and only biopsy resulting in 5 out of 16 cores positive for PC. 4 were rated GS7 and 1 was rated G6. I had first visit with my surgeon (Dr Tewari) after the surgery and was told that my GS was downgraded from G7 to G6. I was surprised and wanted to know more about how that determination was made. I just readily assumed that if the majority of the cancer was staged at G7, how could my final GS score be downgraded to 6? I didn't get into that level of detail / understanding and just accepted the better post surgical pathology results.

Post Edited (aldenyc2015) : 12/16/2015 7:44:15 AM (GMT-7)

UPDATE STATUS

Well, this will probably be my last post on this thread for awhile. As per my earlier post, I've had a Mi-Prostate Score test processed, and the results are in. Although the intent of this test is to help quantify the need for a biopsy (which I have already done). I used it to gage the risk for cancer Type (Aggressive vs Non-Aggressive) at a biomarker level, in lieu of a human visual perception (Pathology Report). Pushing the gene science element. News Flash, my wife's home natural oil PC treatment had no immediate impact (gotta love her passion to help). Will continue her program, can't hurt.

The MiPS results are two fold:
1) The risk for "having" cancer 57% (Dead on with the existing biopsy report, cancer is there, but small in volume)

2) The risk for "High Grade" cancer type 27%
Here's the curve ball, the original G6 Pathology Report assessment only implied Low Grade cancer (remember for what the biopsy captures). I can only believe the gene biomarker picked up some G7 signatures. Given its under 30%, the aggressiveness risk is Low, for now (would of preferred <15% risk). However, this matches a earlier DNA test taken several years ago, it showed a similar risk % for High Grade cancer type in the DNA string.

So, after compiling all data, PSA 3.5, 3T-MRI results, GS6, etc., the urologist and myself agreed to stay on AS treatment as-is. I will live with the fact, that eventually, the geneo science may come to roost. Hopefully, AS should catch the perceived progression threat "long before" a travel condition takes place. For my dad, it was fast and deadly. Betting on the advance surveillance tools/behavior of today.

Next PSA, this April. It would be nice to see a minor elevation, wishful thinking :) . Look forward to reading all the other threads, always great info guys.
______________________________________________________________________________
OCTOBER 2015
Age: 59
PSA: 3.0 elevated to 3.5 in (6) months
3T-MRI: (1) lesion identified
Fusion Biopsy Results: Lesion cores benign, additional (12) cores = (1)<5%
Pathology Summary: Grade Group 1 (GS6:3+3), 2nd pathology verification
Clinical Stage: T1c

Genetic DNA Profile: Above average risk for Aggressive PC
Existing Cancer DNA Profile: DNA risk unknown (Oncotype DX test cannot be performed, <1mm)
High Grade Biological Score: 27% aggressive risk (Mi-Prostate Score)
Other Health Conditions: Diabetes Type II (DX 2000), on meds & insulin

PC Treatment: "Active Surveillance"
Risk: Undetected Cancer Progression
Risk Likelihood: LOW

My Story: https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=35&m=3528051

Post Edited (NewDay) : 6/13/2016 7:00:06 PM (GMT-6)

While some of the medical specifics are over my head, it does seem like a reasonable choice to me. In the event there is some G7--or there is some in the future--a good AS program should find it. Hopefully, you have a lifetime of AS and worst case, you have several years of no SEs before you need to treat.

Good luck and do check in and let us know how you're doing!

Good luck.

Definitely a reasonable choice, but be sure to stay on top of it and maybe even have a plan,,,just in case!!
You have done a fabulous job of due dilligence on this

Mel

UPDATE STATUS

Well, its good news. My first 6 month PSA after going on AS is 3.7 vs previous 3.5. A very minor uptick in the scope of what it could have been. Basically, the prostate abnormal activity (cancer in this case) is in a slow crawl, if not neutral.

As my story reads, given my father's aggressive advance cancer/death, I was expecting a PSA of 8+ and a immediate biopsy.

I have my first pass on aggressive treatment - Thank you Lord.
_____________________________________________________________________________
APRIL 2016: PSA 3.7

OCTOBER 2015
Age: 59
PSA: 3.0 elevated to 3.5 in (6) months
3T-MRI: (1) lesion identified
Fusion Biopsy Results: Lesion cores benign, additional (12) cores = (1)5%
Pathology Summary: Grade Group 1 (G6:3+3), 2nd pathology verification
Clinical Stage: T1c

Genetic DNA Profile: Above average risk for Aggressive PC (Genetics Test)
Existing Cancer DNA Profile: DNA risk unknown (Oncotype DX test cannot be performed, <1mm)
High Grade Biological Score: 27% aggressive risk (Mi-Prostate Score)
Other Health Conditions: Diabetes Type II (DX 2000), on meds & insulin

PCa Treatment: "Active Surveillance"
Risk: Undetected Cancer Progression
Risk Likelihood: LOW

Great to hear! Keep reporting in!

Great news! I just read through the whole three and have loved your decision making process