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Thoughts on Dads history of Prostate Cancer...

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Posted 7/20/2011 4:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there

I hope you don't mind me joining this group.

I'll try and give as much history as I know about my Dads journey with PC.  He was diagnosed with non-agressive cancer about 18 years ago.  He has had 2 TURPs (not sure exactly what this is, but i understand it to be a scraping of the prostate?) He has had his PSA monitored for many many years.  It had always been under 4 which is where his uroligist wanted it to be.  However last year it started to rise, and he then had a blood test taken after 3 months, where it had risen from 7 to 15.  He went for a biopsy which confimed it was cancer, and was given the choice of radiotherapy or having his prostate removed entirly.  He underwent a radical prosectomy (Di Vinci method) in October 2010 at the London Clinic.  He recovered very well and although was incontinent for a while is now totally continent (he is 72).  His PSA reading taken the morning of the operation was 23, so it was climbing very rapidly!

The surgeon said he was extremely happy the surgery had gone very well and that 99% of the tumour had been removed (it was contained in one side of the prostate)  His post operative PSA (I think 8 or 12 weeks post surgery) was 0.8 so a rapid change! However, his urologist recommended 5 weeks or radiotherapy as a "mopping up" procedure.  He has just had his PSA done (as he finished his radio last month) and his reading is 0.1.  He met with his oncologist on Monday night who said he was very pleased with this and he should remain cancer free for at least 10 years.

I was very pleased to hear this but since googling and surfing the net am less pleased - does a reading of 0.1 mean that its likely the cancer will return?

I remember he had a gleason factor of 7 (am sure it was 4+3) but may be wrong prior to surgery.  He had also had a bone scan (prior to surgery ) which fortunately was negative.  The surgeon said the prostate was contained but had just started to esscape the capsule and was present in the seminal vessles.  He also removed Dad's lymph glands and the biopsy of them came back clear.

I hope you don't mind me asking so many questions! I love my Dad so much and he seems to have been through so much, I'd hate to think he may have to go through more but obviously would rather him be safe than sorry!

Thanks for reading

Clare

Posted 7/20/2011 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
According to the studies the oncologist statement is in line, but no one really knows. I think the issue is the Gleason 7 and the surgeon's statement that some was left behind. This would place your father in the intermediate risk category and there is the likliehood of a long and durable remission, but one ever knows how long the remission will last.

The good news is that there are many more treatments that can be given that can hold the cancer at bay for a good amount of time. He will have to dilligently watch his PSA and if it shows progression upward, then some sort of hormone therapy would probably be next.

In the meantime he can improve his chances by following a good heart healthy diet and appropriate exercise. Two studies have also shown that 1000mg of PomX pomengranate extract pill daily can slow the PSA doubling time.

I suggest you read the book "Beating Prostate Cancer with Hormone Treatment and Diet" by Dr. Snuffy Meyers. He is a leading oncologist specializing in prostate cancer and a survivor himself.
Posted 7/20/2011 5:11 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you are here Clare. You sound like a caring, loving daughter that has taken steps to help your beloved father. He has many options for future treatment and as time passes there are great new protocols in the pipeline that are nothing short of exciting. Some of those deal in prostate specific agents that attack nothing but the PC cells.
Posted 7/20/2011 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for your quick replies. JNF I will be ordering that book off of Amazon tonight (doesn't help he is a fussy eater, but my Mum tries hard to make him eat the right things!) and I know that he will be having regular PSA tests! We are going to a fund raising Charity Ball for PC at The Savoy in October and I hope that either myself or my husband will run the London Marathon in aid of PC. Good luck to you all with your treatment/future - lets hope it stays Cancer free x
Posted 7/20/2011 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
Clare, how soon after radiation was the PSA test? PCa cells continue to die off after radiation so if the test was done soon after radiation, it is likely that his PSA will continue to drop.
Posted 7/20/2011 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
Let me get this straight. 18 years ago he had non-aggressive prostate cancer. What exactly was he told was "non-aggressive" prostate cancer. What was the Gleason score and PSA back then and why did he not have his prostate removed then?
Posted 7/21/2011 10:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hi EdC. I believe he had his PSA test approx 6 weeks after his radiotherapy had finished. So perhaps it could drop further? I believe he is due to have another one in November, 4 months after his last.

ChrisR - he was told that he had a very slow growing form of the cancer (i've always been led to believe there are 2 types?) and that he would die of old age, or something else before PC?! He had 2 turp procedures and circumsision (I believe a scraping of the prostate) I must admit I don't understand it all fully myself. All I was told is that the cancer had changed to a more aggressive form last year (after a biopy) hence his radical prosectomy. I did ask my Mum why it wasn't removed years ago (I was 15 at the time) and she said as he was a young man (mid 50's) and then the surgery was more invasive and carried more risk of impotence/incontinence. I don't believe he had a gleason score back then and I also believe his PSA was quite low, like under 1. Apparently PSA rises with age?
Posted 7/21/2011 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Clare, there are over 20 different types of PC.
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