Posted by: "Syd Curtis"
> You wrote:
>
> > To the men in the group, if you have been putting off your PSA tests
>> > DON'T! I had a brother in law who died in September from Prostate canc=
er
>> > found too late. It's not a nice death.
>
> May I strongly endorse that advice.
>
> I've been one of the lucky ones. In 2000 I consulted my GP on a totally
> unrelated matter for which he ordered a blood test. Said, "We might as
> well get everything checked at the same time." The PSA test indicated
> prostate cancer despite my having had no symptoms whatever. Urologist
> confirmed the cancer, and it was successfully treated by radiation, so I =
had
> none of the suffering Walt's been through.
Here's a wish that you continue free of the cancer. It's amazing how
many I've met this fall who had and overcame prostate cancer. The trick
is finding it soon enough.
Prostate cancer often gives no symptoms until too late. The PSA test is
not specific for cancer, it only says there is damage in the prostate,
but it's the best detection we have.
Radiation was one of the choices I had for treatment. It varies in
different parts of the world, probably with each radiation group. What
was offered here was several months of hormone treatment to suppress the
cancer. Followed by a full month of daily external radiation treatments.
Followed by permanently placing a array of radioactive seeds in what was
left of the prostate. The survival rate of that has been improving and
is now similar to the surgery. I did not choose that route for a couple
reasons. First off the hormone treatment will leave cancer cells that
don't produce PSA, so they can become undetectable if the treatment
fails to get them all. Second the severely wounded prostate is a mass of
scar tissue. If they later need to do surgery it's much harder. And last
my father went the surgery route successfully ten years ago.
If I'm found to still have cancer cells I'll be moving on to radiation
treatments, but that's not expected to happen at this point. Next hurdle
is to find out if my PSA drops to near zero indicating that there are no
unfound cells.
The bottom line is if you find yourself in the situation I was in study
your options, there are choices and each choice has it's good and bad
points. Though I'd already done my homework when diagnosed I spent this
fall meeting with a array of experts, they want to make sure you
understand your options.
I'd like to say thanks to one and all for the good wishes. I feel better
already.
Walt
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