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Posted 10/28/2010 4:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone

I am here today for my friend / Landlord.... Her husband was diagnosed with PC two days ago and is going in today for the results of his bone scan. My friend wanted me to ask (I told her I am a member of Healingwell) what she could expect if it shows up in his bones someplace.. He has been having back pain and she is pretty nervous about it all.

I know there might be some additional information you will probably want/need to know.. if someone could write me a list of questions to ask I will get the answers from her. Then I was thinking I could sit with her and have her read this thread with me.

I have been a member of Healingwell.com since 2005 when I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and this forum has been such a great way to find out information... I told her about it and she was happy to know there is such a place to go for support :D

Thank you everyone

~Susie
Posted 10/28/2010 5:17 PM (GMT 0)
Has the friend has a biopsy and or do you know the results and history of his PSA tests?
Posted 10/28/2010 5:25 PM (GMT 0)

Welcome to our corner of Healing Well.

My best suggestion would be to have her get a copy of Dr. Patrick Walsh's "Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer" (2nd Ed.). The area of advanced PCa is complex, and you don't want to get too far ahead.

Posted 10/28/2010 5:32 PM (GMT 0)
Background questions to ask.

1. Age
2. PSA at time of biopsy
3. Gleason grade (sum)
4. Number of cores taken and number shown positive
5. Percentage of cancer found in positive cores
6. Results of the rectal exam (positive or negative)

Bone scans are limited if the PSA is low (below 20) in detecting cancer. However it will show normal bone changes due to old injuries and arthritis.

Those would be the basic questions...and then from those answers more questions can be asked.

Best of luck to your friends husband.
Posted 10/28/2010 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Ok I called her at work and asked her those questions...

A year ago his PSA was 3.(something) and then a month ago it was 6.8

He is 59 years old...

They took 12 Biopsy's and 6 came back positive.... 5 with a gleason grade of 4 and one with a gleason grade of 7.

The rectal exam was positive.

They are finding out today at 2:30 the results of the bone scan..

I guess her main question is this: If they find it has gone into the bone, what treatment options are there?

She wants to find out as much as she can before going in to see the dr. for the results today so she's not completely unprepared for a bad diagnosis.. She wanted me to let you know that she is optimistic, but just wants as much info as possible and thanks you all very much.. I'm sure she'll be sitting here with me tonight reading as much as she can...

Thanks so much
Posted 10/28/2010 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
I am just going to guess that with a PSA of 5, they won't find it in the bones. Besides, bone scans rarely find cancer in these situations. We also see false positives from old injuries, arthritis, etc.

I would just try to calm her down. Try to just take the facts as they come, and then deal with it. We aren't talking emergency procedures today. She needs to just get educated, look at the entire picture, consult multiple doctors, and then start to make decisions.

Cancer is a bad diagnosis, but not the worst thing he could have. She has weeks or months, not days to decide the best course of action. Just get her to take some deep breaths.
Posted 10/28/2010 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
A good beginning is educating yourself about PCa and there are a number of good books to chose from, including Strum's. Once you get all the facts from the biopsy and scans then you can make a more informed choice of treatments. Telling someone to relax after they hear the "C" word is like the Dr. puting on the glove and telling you to just relax. The mind will race for awhile and try to distract it thru exercise of some form, even yard work. Keep us posted about the scan but hopefully the back pain is just an old ijury flaring up. Focus on healing!

Michael

Posted 10/28/2010 8:21 PM (GMT 0)
I had to have my bone scan run a second time (same day) because they spotted all the broken bone healings I had as a kid on the first run. I had mentioned that on the info sheet, but I guess they didn't take it seriously until my legs lit up like Christmas trees.

As already said by others - with a lower (say <20?) PSA, the bone scan is more a doctor's lawsuit preventer than anything. I was happy that mine was effectively clean, which gave me a baseline for any future tests, and bought me a few days of "its not as bad as it could be".  (My PSA was 7.4 at age 56 diagnosis)

The bone scan added a lot more anxiety to my life than any PSA has (yet), and for no good reason.

On the Gleason scores, you should see them as G x+y = z. That is the best way to relay them to us, as the order is very significant. Mine was a G 4+5 post op. A G 5+4 gives the same sum, but is significantly worse.

Posted 10/28/2010 8:28 PM (GMT 0)
Actually....I think the bone scan is a good thing to have. It will show what is there right now in the form of old injuries etc...but should there be a need later on then you have a baseline to compare to what was normal before and what is new if anything shows up.

Think of it like getting a baseline PSA at age 40. Probably won't be elevated but at least you now have a baseline.
Posted 10/29/2010 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much everyone~ The bone scan came back clear so we all hung out last night and ate Chicken.... lol.... My landlord is very grateful for your input and is going to buy that book you suggested.... He is having surgery on November 29 to have his prostate removed... Then from there they are not sure yet, but he's just happy for now that is not in the bones.

Thanks and I will be sure to keep you posted :D
Posted 10/29/2010 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
Susie,

Not to throw cold water on the bone scan results, but it is more proper to say it was not detected in the bone scan. It requires quite a bit of PC for the scan to pick it up. This is a fun diesease becasue there are so many variables to consider.
Posted 10/30/2010 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
Oh Goodlife I'm sorry.... I was reading a few other posts and they were saying "bone scan clear" so I thought that was the correct terminology to use here.... I know what you mean tho and a little cold water is fine :D
Posted 10/30/2010 4:48 PM (GMT 0)
Get a copy of Dr. Walsh's book into their hands and have them read it cover to cover..From what you have posted, your friends husband may very well have curable disease..
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