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Does one and done exist?

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Posted 1/9/2022 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
This question is both for radiation or surgery only treatments. I spent most of the morning looking over many forum members older post and tiny urls. Just waiting for the football games to start. Lol. I may be wrong, but all I can find is Halbert’s journey. Halbert, I noticed that you caught it early with a GL-6 which became a 7 after surgery and no treatments since. Correct me if I am wrong please. Maybe, the one and done men or women who husbands that have PC don’t post here. I am sure that any newbies would like to hear that it can happen.

Now for the morning reading, my take aways:
1-The tiny urls are priceless for any newbie coming on. They answer many questions being asked here everyday.
2-The veterans here show the bravery and courage needed to help us all through our journeys with PC.
3- It would seem at least most, in the beginning, had doubts and were nervous about their coming decisions.
I would like to add that having been a teacher, you all would have made excellent teachers at any level. Cyclone, I know you teach, so your students should feel blessed to have you.

Here is my biggest take away. The veterans here spend an enormous amount of time here helping all and are much appreciated. Why in the world haven’t you collaborated together, to write a book on your collective experiences? Imagine, the help that would be for all that have never heard about this forum. I do believe it would be a best seller. Thanks a bunch for all you do here. Now on to 🏈.
Edit:
Wings, I am 69 years old. My first symptom of blood in my semen was at the age of 64. Is there a way to change my signature? My Uro at the time said it was common for older men. Wow. Now GL-8. Thank you and all for your replies to, No Oncologist. I will call my health insurance tomorrow to see what my options are.
Jack
Posted 1/9/2022 6:46 PM (GMT 0)
In general, the vast majority of guys that get diagnosed with prostate cancer are one-and-done. But it also varies by the seriousness of the diagnosis as everyone's case is different. For the higher risk diagnoses--and that's where you are with a Gleason 8--guys are less likely to be cured with just one treatment, but assuming the cancer is locally contained, even most high-risk guys end up one-and-done.

I had a high risk G9 diagnosis, and 8 years after finishing ADT and with a low and steady PSA, I consider myself "done."
Posted 1/9/2022 6:56 PM (GMT 0)
Jack,

I can only speak for myself. I think a few things skew what you see here. Most men who come in at G6-G7 are likely one-and-done, and they get treated and move on with their lives, say thank you here and vanish.

Also, over the years AS has become much more accepted and pushed by doctors, so a lot of the G6 guys don't even end up here. They may show up if their AS ends and they need more aggressive treatment, but then, after that, they don't come back.

What you see here, then, is the men who started at G8-10, and who are in it for the long haul. Reality is, that they are probably less than half of the actual diagnosed cases out there.

One and done is real, and possible, but rare for the G8 and above crowd. Sorry.
Posted 1/9/2022 9:39 PM (GMT 0)
I’m similar to MichaelT, in that a very high risk dx responded well to the initial treatment and have been in complete remission now for 11 years. Hope that qualifies as a “one and done”. The thing is that we really never know as it is not uncommon for a recurrence after 10-15 years of complete remission.

So for intermediate and high risk it is not so much “one and done” as much as “so far, so good”. And that isn’t a pessimistic view, but a realist view. And remember, have several G9 “one and done” on the board like MichaelT and Logo and Djin and several other G8 in my memory, so don’t despair as a G8.
Posted 1/10/2022 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the replies all. I am very happy for those of you that have had a very positive response to your first treatments. My post was not about my concern for my PC. It was to try to find those where treatments are working from the start. I did not know that there was so many here and the overall outcome percentage. Also, the veterans here know more about the different treatments and SEs than how sugar coated it becomes when dealing with some Uros and ROs. As I stated, the veterans should collaborate on a book with personal histories. I didn’t add, if it becomes a best seller, I would only hope for 1% of the take for the idea. LOL. Thanks a bunch all.
Jack
Posted 1/10/2022 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
Hello, Jack64 ---

To your point, many of us here made a concerted effort to BAND TOGETHER to create some comprehensive threads on various topics that have reached a wide variety of readers.

We've worked together on a thread about chemotherapy ... one about radiation ... one about XTANDI ... one about ZYTIGA ... and our thread entitled "Letters To The Newly Diagnosed" ... to name a few.

A NEW YEAR is upon us ... and a new collective thread ... may appear down the road.

A shining hallmark of this website is the sharing of treatment experiences.

Every treatment experience posted will help the next fellow, down the road.

We have readers from coast to coast --- and faraway corners of the globe, as well.

Appreciative of your posts --- and fellowship, Jack64!

C-Y-C-L-O-N-E - # Iowa State University
Posted 1/10/2022 2:21 PM (GMT 0)
My DaVinci surgery was eleven years ago, and I was fortunate that my G7 cancer was organ contained and I've needed no further treatment. Now I have some new medical issues to focus on.
I don't post much anymore because I'm often blown away by the knowledge of so many other contributors.
I suppose the only reason I still occasionally post is precisely to show newcomers that for many it is possible to find treatment and put the disease behind you. That ED is not necessarily the end of the world, or even the end of an active sex life (for anyone who isn't aware, you don't need an erection to have an orgasm).
I'm continually amazed at the courage displayed by those for whom this is a continuing battle. Compared to what so many have gone through, and are continuing to go through, my prostate can experience seems somewhat insignificant.
We have some incredibly courageous men on this forum. Bless you all.
Posted 1/10/2022 11:53 PM (GMT 0)

Jack64 said...
My post was not about my concern for my PC. It was to try to find those where treatments are working from the start.

Jack


I had triple therapy (see my resume) and am still typing away...
More in general, I have seen too many cases where the cancer returned much later. Therefore, I can only state that I am in remission for the time being.
Posted 1/11/2022 1:10 AM (GMT 0)
i was a G7 with all 12 cores positive. my uro gave me a 60% chance of being one and done if i followed his recommendation for a triple play therapy. so far so good smile
Posted 1/11/2022 7:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Accept, as I have done and as a large number do, that it not being the end of the road is not the end of the line, if you see what I mean. That takes some of the tension out of regular PSA tests etc. In my case, "radiation, bummer" not "OMG I AM GOING TO DIE". The second diagnosis is worse, but forewarned is forearmed. There's too much fear in PCa: try to avoid it. In other words, even if the answer to "one and done" is a number, with a strong sliding scale, you are unique and it might or might not be the case: try and take it easy: the truly bad outcomes are a LONG way away and the treatments get better all the time..
Posted 1/11/2022 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
I have been "one and done" so far. I have my 4.5 year post-op PSA test at the end if the month. After my G10 biopsy, I chose RP over "triple play" treatment with radiation and ADT also because I liked my chances of being one and done, with the understanding that I may not have been so after surgery, and may not remain so going forward.

Djin
Posted 1/11/2022 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
To be a fully confirmed "one and done" one needs to be dead before needing additional treatment. Many others have had a single treatment "so far" and, fortunately, this is as much as we can say. Of course, depending on when the treatment was, and age, some are closer to be true "one and done" than others. But, generally speaking, you can find many people here who have only undertaken a single treatment (so far).
Posted 1/11/2022 1:32 PM (GMT 0)
Jack, there have been a lot of one and dones who have passed through here over the years.

I consider myself one and done and cured after having one successful treatment 13 years ago. My story is in my profile.

Jim
Posted 1/11/2022 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
There are studies with percentages of recurrence by Gleason score, staging, and probably other variables. But, I think that there is wisdom in this above statement by ShawsUnprostatedMan:

“ ….even if the answer to "one and done" is a number, with a strong sliding scale, you are unique and it might or might not be the case: try and take it easy: the truly bad outcomes are a LONG way away and the treatments get better all the time.”
Posted 1/11/2022 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
My last post on this subject. Thanks for all the replies. I have learned from your posts that PC, no matter what treatment, is a long game cancer. I guess when I first posted this that I was looking more on the surgical side. I noticed that many had the surgery, but also at some point had salvage RA as well later. Your post showed that many with lesser GL scores are a one and done, but still have to monitor for reoccurrence. The biggest takeaway on the RA only side, is that triple play is the preferred choice. My suggestion to newbies coming here that have BPH, is to get tested for PC first. My Uro said I needed a TURP to alleviate my urinary SEs. The TURP eliminated my chance for seed implants and triple play.
Thanks a bunch all for your replies.
Jack
Posted 1/11/2022 6:04 PM (GMT 0)

jmadrid said...
To be a fully confirmed "one and done" one needs to be dead before needing additional treatment.


As they say, "Any car can last you a lifetime, if you are careless enough." I guess you could say the same for PCa treatment - just take up Bullfighting, Freediving, or BASE jumping after your "one and done" treatment of choice!
Posted 1/11/2022 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
Your PCa treatment comes with a lifetime guarantee...
Posted 1/12/2022 11:36 AM (GMT 0)
Fundamentally, there are, in a way, 3 kinds of prostate cancer:

Indolent cancer--which will just kind of sit there and not do very much. It won't kill you, and most of the time it doesn't need any significant treatment at all. You do, however, have to keep an eye on it.

Curable cancer--which is necessary to treat, and a man can have this type, get treated either by surgery or by radiation, and can then go many years afterwards, with keeping an eye out for issues. The longer it is post treatment, the less likely a recurrence is. Again, you do have to keep an eye on it, for life.

Treatable cancer--this is cancer that a man has, it can be treated, and will frequently go into long remission, but it involves metastatic points, and it frequently requires long term treatment lasting years. This cancer cannot be said to be curable--it's always hanging out, and it requires eternal vigilance, and prompt response if it does reappear.
Posted 1/12/2022 1:24 PM (GMT 0)
Halbert,
I digitally copied your preceeding post into my personal notebook. I like the concise definitions. I also feel it's more realistic than "one and done."
Posted 1/12/2022 1:39 PM (GMT 0)
Something missing from your list, the type that results in a painful debilitating spiral downwards ending in death.
Guess that would be #4
Posted 1/12/2022 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Yes...I'm one and done and I've just begun...sometimes I feel like I'm running in place at a red light here...now there's a waste of time...so it goes
Posted 1/12/2022 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
I'm hoping that I remain in the "one and done" category. My RALP was in February, so I am 11 months out and it's way too early to assume I'll always be in that category. I was Gleason 4 + 3 = 7. Life has pretty much returned to normal and I am at my pre-surgery level of activity, which was my main goal. I'll be running my first post-op marathon in March. I need to take more pee breaks during long runs, but I'll deal with that. ED is a concern, but I had an extension on the left side neural bundle so likely it would have been affected regardless of treatment and I am hopeful the right side will learn to compensate. While having prostate cancer is no fun, as I mentioned to some friends "You don't get to choose your disease, your disease chooses you", and I'll deal with the hand(s) I am dealt. Other than 8 months of diminishing leakage which was longer than I had hoped or anticipated, I am fairly happy with my journey, given the fact that I had cancer to begin with.
Posted 1/12/2022 10:04 PM (GMT 0)

Fauntleroy said...
Something missing from your list, the type that results in a painful debilitating spiral downwards ending in death.
Guess that would be #4

Well, maybe that's just a general truism in life. Few are lucky enough to make a clean exit.
Posted 1/13/2022 12:36 AM (GMT 0)

mattam said...

Fauntleroy said...
Something missing from your list, the type that results in a painful debilitating spiral downwards ending in death.
Guess that would be #4

Well, maybe that's just a general truism in life. Few are lucky enough to make a clean exit.

##########

and some that pass peacefully in the night go "too soon"
Posted 1/13/2022 2:03 AM (GMT 0)
Fauntleroy, that 4th group is really rare. Now, group three can end up in group 4 over time, usually more than a few years.
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