Hi all:
I’m 71, live in Ontario, Canada and I’m new to this board.
My annual check-ups for the past 10 years or so have indicated a consistent PSA reading of between 2.4 and 2.9. A bit high perhaps but it always stayed within this range.
That is, until July 16 when the 2009 results indicated a tripling within one year, from 2.7 to 9.3! Assuming the lab might have screwed up,the family doctor ordered another and it came back at 8.7. He also did the usual DRE and concluded the prostate was not enlarged.
He then referred me to a local urologist with an appointment date of 6 weeks away. In the meantime he suggested yet another PSA to be done 10 days before the appointment so the urologist would have the most current info available.
During the urology appointment I was told the latest PSA was the same at 8.7. Another DRE indicated the prostate was considerably harder on one side than the other. He ordered a biopsy for Sept. 15 and my wife accompanied me for the results meeting, a week later.
Previous to this meeting, I had spend some computer time on this board and learned a bit about the GLEASON SCORE, so when the urologist told us mine was 8, with the number T2a, we were like “hit with a ton of bricks” !
Debbie cried on the way home and pretty well the rest of that day, and this, after her going for several breast cancer biopsies, plus an operation with 6 month follow-ups of mammograms, MRI’s & ultrasounds during the past three years and I never did see her cry even once throughout all that.
While we were in the office, he ordered a bone scan and 10 days later the results came back as: “No problems there”. At this time the urologist sug-gested open surgery as soon as possible since his diagnoses was:
“Aggressive Cancer to the Prostate” ! Now I have to tell you that I did some research on this doctor and locally, he has a stellar reputation and the one to have as your urologist should you be in need of one. Many successful open surgeries and well liked by his patients but I wanted a second opinion
and I was almost afraid to ask for one,
BUT I DID ! I asked for Dr. Joseph Chin.
Dr. J Chen is in London, Ontario, about 60 miles away. His London Health Science Centre business card reads:
Joseph Chin, MD, FRCS (C) Chair/Chief of Surgical Oncology, Professor of Urology & Oncology, The University of Western Ontario.
He also spearheads the LONDON PROSTATE CENTRE.
Back in 2004 he was amongst the first in S.W Ontario to perform the DaVince Robotic procedures and since then has done hundreds of these and that iswhat I wanted. Much to our surprise, an appointment was scheduled for late December, but even better, a phone call from London two days later had
Dr. Chin move that date up to October 27th. So on that day, we’re of to London for a 3.30 appointment. This would be his last of the day and after all, we were probably an add-on, since they made the date change. We got to see him at 6.00 and on our way home by 7.00 for a drive during not very much was said.
Dr. Chin did yet another DRE (will I have get to like those?) and seemed quite concerned and with the GLEASON Score of 8 suggested the best course of action might be: 30 days of one 50mg. per day of Casodex followed up within the first 14 days with a 90 day Lupron injection (Combined Androgen Blockade)
followed by open surgery around Mid-February. He would do the surgery himself.
I asked about the DaVince procedure and his answer was,
“ I can see better with DaVinci but I can FEEL better with open surgery and in your case, that will be better on the long run”.
It’s hard to argue with that.
Today I took the first step to get rid of this hick-up:
I took the first Casodex pill.
Jerry.
p.s. I blame my situation on my life style and I'll comment more on this, plus a few questions and my concerns in a few days
.