What if?

Caspar, things to consider

1. I think its a question you need to ask your doc, the answer would be based on your particular case.
2 Whatever the doc tells you should be taken with a grain of salt. Everyone is different and every case is different. I know someone who was diagnosed 13 years ago, with G9, the final pathology after surgery showed that it had already escaped the capsule, and he's had no treatment until this past year, and been almost zero PSA. But there are stories of G7, g8 that don't go as well
3. you say now that you would be happy with 4-5 years of this life. Say that again, at the end of year 3, you might feel differently.

There is no right answer. To me, my life is worth fighting for, and I am wiling to endure whatever side effect I must, to be here for my family. But that's me. Only you have the answer for you, and it will be the right answer. But consider the three points above.

The side effects may sound worse than they really are. Your mind can magnify what you're reading, and extrapolate to some sort of unbearable effect when it's really more of an annoyance you get used to.

The prognosis of prostate cancer is extremely hard to predict. It's weird, like every single case is unique. Every one. You can't know 5 years, 10 years, easy side effects, difficult side effects, it's just not predictable except in very broad terms.

The stats on mine said like 15% chance at 10 years without treatment, 60-80% or more with treatment. So, that decision to treat was pretty easy.

That's an extremely personal decision, and only you will be able to decide if the risks or tolerability of the side effects seems worth the possible extra life span. Darn tough one....

Casper555, lupron IS treatment, called hormone therapy that increases risk for heart troubles, eliminates libido, and usually promotes Erectile dysfunction, reduces muscle mass and some report, diminishes a sharp mind. All these only while it is in your system. It is not curative in that at some point it will go refractory, meaning there are pca cells in your body that are not destroyed by lupron. That endpoint is different and individualized. I won't flame you but will say you also need to read and study some books by the experts and not rely on Internet forums as your primary source of knowledge. If I was king, I would make it a requirement that newbies read and study at least one experts book, before ever posting any advice or make comments about other folks issues that they really do not know anything about. . Your lack of knowledge, along with other newbies is always revealed by the questions they ask. Hope that doesn't smart, if so, be sure once you are smart about this disease, that sting will be no more. Actually on a reread of you post, you send a mixed message. This is indicated by your 3rd paragraph. An editorial, not related to you necessarily. I think it is unfair and lazy for newbies to post here as their sole source of information. Where do you think those that answer your questions get their knowledge from. They do their homework, it helps them fight their own demons, rather than exorcising others. If this is flaming ,consider it more of a firebreak.

Casper,

At my very first prostate cancer support group meeting, one of the older guys in his late 70s who had almost exhausted all interventions said he had asked his doctor the loaded question 'is it worth continuing with treatment and expect another (say) 4 months or should I just give up and "go home"? I think his PSA was 200 or 300; and I have not seen him since!

A few wise people responded that with every month he lives under treatment, it gives others hope and it helps with research on what works and what does not work. The answer made sense for the broader audience! I also think we all get to that point when we'll say "its time!.."; however, until that day arrives, I'll fight the beast as best I can.

take care ..

ps. You also need to factor in the tremendous costs of these treatments...

.

RCS:

Art gallary? Is that another horrible HT SE?

On a more serious note, as bad as HT is, it would seem late stage PC is worse.

Mel

I'm thinking like Mel. You may go years without any symptoms but then when you get them, you have no choice but to live with the suffering.
Bone and brain mets! That has got to be worst than the treatment SE.

I remember after I was diagnosed, I was thinking "Well, no more sex, at least I had a good run" and "wearing diapers like an old man at 61".

Well, the sex is different now but the orgasms are just as intense. And after 22 months of leaking, I went back under the knife and got the incontinence fixed with an AUS installed. So, yeah, it was worth it.

Bill from Florida USA

Peter DA has expressed the situation perfectly - particularly his 2nd para.

We would probably all happily settle for 8 to 10 years of symptom free survival, then check out quietly. Unfortunately that isn't the way it happens.

I chose the agressive option, surgery, radiation and HT all together. I am currently experiencing a loss of QOL as a consequence of that - incontinence, ED, flushes etc, but I am pulling zeros on the PSA front and hope to for many years yet. By the time I see a rising PSA, I am hoping there will be even better treatments available and I am aiming for 8 to 10 years symptom free, even if there are SE's to deal with.

Dead men don't pee or make love. I hope to be doing both on my 80th birthday, if the movers lorry doesn't get me in 2017.

And of course the other thing to bear in mind is that not all SE's are inevitable. Many men sail through surgery without any incontinence or ED, or with only temporary issues. While I have suffered worse than most, on the other hand I have found HT no problem at all. Some men find it intolerable.

All just adds to the uncertainty.

Thanks guys. Now why does it not surprise me by finding so many replies here when I got up this morning! There are far to many to reply indavidually, but I honestly do appreciate evey single one of them, even if a couple do “smart” a bit. I think that the two posts that have made me sit back and think are PeterDisAbelard's second one and the one made by Tudpock18, both very constructive and thought invoking, thanks guys.

The way that I see things now after putting all your replies into a box and giving a good shake, is that this whole thing is a numbers game, with PC being a bundle of cash. We are all stood at the same crap table and with the roll of a dice we may be able to change those “numbers” But the idea of this game is not to roll high numbers and win more cash, but to roll low and lose as much of that cash as we can. Some of us may choose to take a break and go and sit at the bar for a while, just watching the action unfold before us, but in doing that our numbers wont change. Others may decide to leave with the cash they have (me) and go home waiting for the repo man to come knocking on your door. Basicly what you are all saying is stay in the game and keep trying to roll those low numbers before you go home. Does any of this make any sense!

I have no idea how many cores my cancer was found in. I was in so much shock last week all I asked was for the G score. I will get a more detailed report when I get the call back and update here.

The thought of a long,slow and painful death does not sit well with me. I saw my wife go through that and the images are still there inside my head. So it is more likely now, and after reading your posts that I will go for some kind of treatment, but that decision will be left until after I get my bone scan results. Another thing I have been reading here is that with surgery the side effects are pretty much instant. Where as with radiation and possible side effects may not appear for around 12 months later! A bit of a bummer if you have no side effects with surgery, but then have to go onto radiation.

Once again, thanks very much everybody. I am a much different place now than I was before starting this thread.

By the way. What company was that “removal truck” from? I will have to keep an eye out for it.