I'm a little shocked

At a social event this evening, I met a 69-year-old guy who said he had been treated 3  years ago for prostate cancer.  He said he had DaVinci surgery at Rush-Presbyterian in Chicago, and that it was very successful.  I asked  him if he's still having follow-on PSA tests, and he said yes, his latest was .1

Then....and this is the confusing part...he said his doc has him on Lupron (he said Lupon), and some other drug whose name he couldn't remember, but he thought it started with "buc."  He said his doctor told him these drugs were a kind of insurance to make sure the cancer doesn't return.

This man is a well known educator in our area.  He's been a school superintendent and a science teacher.  He has a reputation as a very bright guy.  But, I found his comments worrisome.  It sounds to me as if something's happening in the way of a recurrence, and yet he seems to think all is well and the HT is normal follow-on protocol.

He also said that the only side effect of all this is that he can no longer father children.  Maybe he meant complete impotence?  I asked about hot flashes, and he admitted he occasionally has them.

I'm thinking if my doc had me on Lupron, or any type of androgen deprivaton therapy, I'd want to know a lot more about what's going on than this man seems to know. 

Has anyone found this lack of understanding....lack of curiosity....lack of awareness to be common in PCa survivors?  Is his lack of awareness putting him in any kind of danger?

 

Well if he thought he could father children after the DaVinci robot the I would be shocked.

I would bet that the drug that starts with "buc" is actually bicalutimide ~ the generic for Casodex.

But yes I see your point. But he is not the most uninformed patient I have seen. You asked "is his lack of awareness putting him in any kind of danger?" I don't think anyone can answer that. He may have a strong oncology team that is taking the appropriate steps. He has just decided to follow whatever protocol that team says he should do.

I have one of the top prostate cancer researchers in the business as my oncologist. He and I have been working together supporting prostate cancer survivors. He is respected by every well known oncologist I have met. I will likely follow his suggestions, but I will ask questions and try to understand his recommendations. But am I any better off than the next patient that walks in and barely understands his PSA score? LOL. I like thinking so...

Tony

I met a guy who was 75 and had brachytherapy 3 years ago.  He said his Dr. told him he "guaranteed the seeds for 10 years."  Meaning he would be cured for 10 years.  I told him I had RP and he said "Oh then you have nothing to worry about."  As if RP cures you.  He did not know his Gleason score or PSA before BDR or it now.

I didn't understand it either.

I have a friend who is very bright and accomplished in the business world. He had PCa at age 59, a year or so before I had it. He had Da Vinci surgery and after I was diagnosed and started talking to him, I realized he knew NOTHING about his cancer. PSA before and after? Gleason grade? How experienced was your surgeon? Positive margins? The list goes on and on. So no, there are plenty of people who hear they have prostate cancer, go into denial, learn nothing, and hope for the best. I agree, we may be the exception, rather than the rule.

Perhaps ignorance is bliss. When I underwent radiation 9 mos. after RP, I was still full of questions, and the techs said I was the only one asking about anything. I even asked questions they couldn't answer and referred me to the head doc. Knowledge is power, my friends.

Bob

My friend who sits next to me in church and is a well educated man, had his robotic surgery with the same doctor 2 weeks before mine doesn't know what his Gleason score was nor does he know what his pathology report was.