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Active Surveillance Report - All Good

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Posted 8/28/2015 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
I'm reading the forum and chiming in when appropriate to continue to be a cheerleader for AS for "younger men".

Just got my 3 month PSA results and DRE and all is good, .85 PSA so since my biopsy and DX back in early 2014 my PSA has dropped from a high of 2.85 to now fluctuating between about .5 and .9. Go figure.

Anyway... younger men diagnosed with very low volumes of G6 PCa should seriously consider the AS route, even if their Doc balks.

I continue to pray for all the men and spouses who face such severe challenges with this disease. I think about you all often.
Posted 8/28/2015 4:03 AM (GMT 0)
Great report. More guys need to consider AS.

Andrew
Posted 8/28/2015 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
Congratulations on your good test result.

The guidelines have become more accepting of men under 65 doing AS, with some programs not having any lower age limit.

While the choice of AS is certainly growing, it still appears that most low risk men have the mindset to "get the cancer out". That's their personal choice, although they maybe should have spent more time researching and asking questions before signing up for immediate treatment. Just my opinion.
Posted 8/28/2015 2:19 PM (GMT 0)
I want to add that AS would be more chosen as an initial response if the urologists who are first consulted would  encourage men with low risk (and especially very-low risk) PCa to consider AS seriously. It is very hard to go against the advice of the professional, particularly when one's life is at risk. In my case, the surgeon I consulted first was adamant that surgery was necessary. When I consulted another surgeon for a second opinion, he agreed with the first. When I continued to resist, my sister accused me of shopping around for a doctor until I found someone who would agree with me.

 

Posted 8/28/2015 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
You guys are this site's heros!!!


I'll share with you a passage from a recent AUA panel discussion on AS which should help keep your motivation high; I'll just copy/paste what I read in the AUA article:

Dr. Mark Moyad, as moderator, asked him several questions. He asked if men on AS suffered from high anxiety by deferring treatment. Dr. Klotz responded that their anxiety in the early years was about the same as anxiety for patients undergoing treatment, but that men on AS frequently were "ebullient" after being on AS for a few years: they looked at the side effects their friends were enduring who had had active treatment, and they were delighted they had not gone that route.
Posted 8/28/2015 8:51 PM (GMT 0)
GM, thanks for the update and congrats! I hope you and ASAdvocate (and others on AS) will continue to chime in frequently with your critical "real life" examples. As you know, we have a lot of guys who arrive here with their hair on fire and it's really important for folks to know that radical treatment isn't the first and only choice.

Jim
Posted 8/28/2015 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
as long as the urologist is a surgeon there will always be a bias toward surgery, imo. glad its working for you!

ed
Posted 8/28/2015 10:34 PM (GMT 0)
Geeter man, That sounds like good news, congrats,

In my opinion, we all all heros who support each other!

To those with PCa with G7, G8 G9, .. I'm sure we appreciate that what geetar man says about prayers, keep em flowing, because prayer changes things!!!
Dan-105 degrees in so calif
Posted 8/29/2015 1:52 AM (GMT 0)

turpT1a said...
I want to add that AS would be more chosen as an initial response if the urologists who are first consulted would encourage men with low risk (and especially very-low risk) PCa to consider AS seriously. It is very hard to go against the advice of the professional, particularly when one's life is at risk. In my case, the surgeon I consulted first was adamant that surgery was necessary. When I consulted another surgeon for a second opinion, he agreed with the first. When I continued to resist, my sister accused me of shopping around for a doctor until I found someone who would agree with me.

While I'm admittedly not a big fan of AS, probably due to my personal experience, I truly believe this is largely a result of fear on the part of the doctors that if they advise to do AS, and it turns out badly, they will be exposed to potential legal liability.

Post Edited (Pratoman) : 8/28/2015 7:57:14 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 8/29/2015 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
Everyone has different experiences and opinions. All are valued and understood.

While my Forum name describes my opinion, I am quick to recommend intervention when certain folks are simply wrong for trying AS.

But, I just don't see any reason for doctors to fear lawsuits when study after study is showing that patients in formal AS programs do not incur elevated mortality if intervention is later indicated.
Posted 8/29/2015 3:30 PM (GMT 0)
The problem is, in this country, anybody can sue anybody. Even if the plaintiff has no case, it's a really big hassle and very costly for the defendant. I see it in my own industry (financial) and I think it's no different in medicine. Someone is unhappy with the outcome, even if all best practices are followed, they take a run at you.
Posted 8/31/2015 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Great report. Thanks for providing credence to the AS side of treatment.
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