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When your biopsy shows you have cancer in the apex

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 8/14/2011 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
If your biopsy shows that your cancer is in the apex of the prostate, your chances of having positive surgical margins is quite high. When the cancer is found to have extended to the edge of the removed prostate, it is presumed that some cancer tissue was left in the body. This results in failed surgery, and in most cases leads to adjuvant or salvage radiation therapy.

Currently there is some intensive research to find ways to avoid positive margins, and several centers are reporting great success using new surgical techniques. An interesting article from the University of California, Irvine, discusses the issue and some of the new techniques: http://www.urology.uci.edu/prostate/Margins.html
While positive margins are not completely avoidable, good technique can reduce the number.

As you can see, before you sign on the dotted line for your surgery, you should first ask about the risk for positive margins, and if the risk is real, whether your surgeon is up on the latest techniques. Maybe even share the above article with him.

Sure wish I had.

Best wishes,
Nellie
Posted 8/14/2011 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
When I had radical surgery done little over 10yrs ago, the cancer was in my apex.

The pathology stated outside the margins but urologist also stated that when radical surgery is done sometimes the pathologist gets it wrong.

Based on his experience and my surgery, he stated that further treatment was not necessary at the time.  

We discussed further options before surgery and had a game plan laid out.  Agressive chem followed by radiation if necessary and finally hormone therapy.

It has been 10 years and so far so good.   Only problem he couldn't salvage the nerves since cancer was within this area.  ED is small consequence due to alternative.   The pumps works fine and the others - pills and injections did not.

Posted 8/14/2011 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
51% of all positive margins occur in the Apex. Radiation is an excellent alternative to surgery for anyone with confirmed PC in the Apex.
JT
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