PCa slow growing....

MG,

For me, the term 'slow growing' is a relative term, compared (for example) to colon cancer: Some of the studies show that it takes something like 10 years for the 'first' cancer cell in PC to grow into something measurable--and more years after that to require being dealt with.

The reality that most men over the age of 75 have detectable prostate cancer, and only a relatively small number actually die of it is the basis of the statement.

As far as the relative virulence (which is I think you're asking about) of the various grades or gleason scores, I don't know of any research into the question--but I'm sure it exists. It is reality that men who are diagnosed with initial PSA values in the hundreds or thousands almost always have high levels of G9 would lend anecdotal credence to the idea: That G6 rarely does much, that G7 is a little worse, and does a little more, and does it faster, and then the 8's and 9's progress up the slide even faster. Think of an exponential curve and how it works.

It will be interesting to see actual data on this--which we all suspect to be true.

All grades of prostate cancer are slow growing relative to many other kinds of cancer until they metastasize. But G6 is the slowest, and G10 is the fastest to reach metastatic breakout.

Someone posted the following analogy in either this forum or in the other forum (though I realize that sounds like "this group is for members and non-members only")...

Grade 3: your typical G6 is a turtle.
It moves very slowly, and sometimes its movement is almost undetectable.

Grade 4 (4+4 and 4+3) is a rabbit.
It multiplies quickly and scampers about, and is difficult to catch.

Grade 5 (G9-10) is a hawk.
It covers a lot of territory in a short time. Once in flight it can rarely be caught.

I'm paraphrasing here, so if this was your parable, please forgive my plagiarism.

The metaphor I like better is crabgrass and dandelions. The dandelions are a little bit faster growing but that's not the problem. The problem is that if you wait for the dandelions to bloom and disperse their seeds then they're everywhere while if you procrastinate with the crabgrass it spreads but you just have a bigger patch to pull up.