Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue Saxey Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue Saxey Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue Saxey Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue RE: my father Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue SaxeySent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue RE: my father Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue SaxeySent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila --------- RE: my father Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue SaxeySent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila --------- RE: my father Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue SaxeySent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila --------- RE: my father Sue, I am so sorry that your father and your family are dealing with this situation. Where are you located? Was your father going to the doctor regularly prior to his diagnosis? What was his PSA history prior to diagnosis? It is also unfortunate that your father did not understand the actual situation of his disease although it may not have made a difference in the actual outcome. The doctor may have felt that he was “protecting” him. Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. He may be interested in asking for about clinical trials. There are several promising treatments currently under investigation. You may want to read the information form the current ASCO meeting. http://tinyurl.com/6yceob I hope that others also write to give you their experience and suggestions. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue SaxeySent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 5:15 AMTo: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, I'm sorry your father is having to deal with this. It is tough on him and you, and these are tough decisions. I have a couple suggestions: 1. Check out Yahoo Groups related to advanced prostate cancer. 2. Attempt to get more definitive information from the physician, especially regarding pain management during life extending measures. My own father decided to allow his kidneys to fail, and for him, that was an appropriate decision. Warmly, Hans my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 << Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. >> Not so. I've talked with my radiation oncologist about this and he tells me that he has many patients who have significantly elevated PSA readings who he's treated as prostate cancer has metastasized in one location after another over periods of, yes, years. (I didn't ask him about this subject, by the way. He volunteered the information in discussing PSA readings and what to anticipate by way of the "velocity" of PSA change, for lack of a better term, and its implications on down the road after my IMRT protocol is finished a month from now). By the way, I'm being treated by the same bunch of radiation oncologists who are currently treating (Sen. 's wife) and who, obviously, could go anywhere on earth -- to the M. D. Cancer Center in Houston, Yale, Stanford, the Mayo Clinic or even Loma -- if there were any incremental benefit associated with her doing so. However, I'm guessing she likes being treated closer to home, since they have a nice casa just down the road from the hospital where we're being treated ... http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=3848 and at 28,000 square feet it's not too much smaller than the White House, to which Sen. aspires. And I'd guess as medical advice goes, gets fairly good advice and treatment from her docs, as I do. Your mileage, of couse, may vary. Subject: Re: my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, since you are in the UK and have to deal with the NHS, can I suggest you read Hardy’s story at http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/H.htm and Andy Ripley’s at http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/AndyR.htm - both had PSAs over 100 when diagnosed, neither had chemotherapy, both are stil alive more than 9-12 months after diagnosis. As I said in another post, there are man men with very high PSAs who have survived a good deal longer than the gloomy forecasts of their doctors – Trueman Seamans http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/TruemanS.htm had a PSA of 4,212 when he was diagnosed in 1999. No doubt someone will point out that all cases are different, but I believe it is very important to know about these surviviors and to be able to contact them to discuss what they did. All the best Terry Herbert I have no medical qualifications but I was diagnosed in ‘96: and have learned a bit since then. My sites are at www.yananow.net and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za Dr “Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate data " From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue Saxey Sent: Sunday, 1 June 2008 10:08 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: my father My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sue, since you are in the UK and have to deal with the NHS, can I suggest you read Hardy’s story at http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/H.htm and Andy Ripley’s at http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/AndyR.htm - both had PSAs over 100 when diagnosed, neither had chemotherapy, both are stil alive more than 9-12 months after diagnosis. As I said in another post, there are man men with very high PSAs who have survived a good deal longer than the gloomy forecasts of their doctors – Trueman Seamans http://www.yananow.net/Mentors/TruemanS.htm had a PSA of 4,212 when he was diagnosed in 1999. No doubt someone will point out that all cases are different, but I believe it is very important to know about these surviviors and to be able to contact them to discuss what they did. All the best Terry Herbert I have no medical qualifications but I was diagnosed in ‘96: and have learned a bit since then. My sites are at www.yananow.net and www.prostatecancerwatchfulwaiting.co.za Dr “Snuffy” Myers : " As a physician, I am painfully aware that most of the decisions we make with regard to prostate cancer are made with inadequate data " From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Sue Saxey Sent: Sunday, 1 June 2008 10:08 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: my father My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hello Sue, I am so sorry to read about your father, but his story underscores the fact that there's so much mystery associated with Prostate Cancer and, too often, early diagnosis is missed. I am 78 years old and In my case, for more than ten years, my urologist examined me either every 6 or 12 months, including two biopsies and declared me fit and cancer-free while all that time the PSA count was bouncing between 12 and 25. During that time, he was treating me for an enlarged prostate (BPH). A year ago, my PSA jumped to 36 and my urologist called for a third biopsy. This time, it was sad news with a Gleason score of 6 & 7, and the cancer had escaped the capsule into surrounding tissue, including one lymph node. Because we know that cancer of the prostate is slow-growing, I am assuming that I have had cancer there for more than ten years. During all of that time, I have had no symptoms or complaints that would have indicated PC. Now, I started Lupron for 24 months and have finished with 45 days of radiation therapy. My doctors tell me that they have no other arrows, that they have given me everything they have on hand. I've got a follow up appointment with my urologist this month and he will then run some tests to see what progress we may have made. During all of this, both my urologist and oncologist have been optimistic. Neither talk about a cure: Instead, they talk about arresting the growth of my cancer. They have emphasized that I, too, should remain hopeful and optimistic and that would seem to be the right message for you and your father, too. Walk on the Sunny Side of the Street. God Bless. And Sue, do please keep us posted. Chris PS: I forgot to mention one benefit from my cancer treatments. I am now able to urinate more normally, probably because the swollen prostate is shrinking. > > Hello > > My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. > > In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! > > So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. > > On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. > > Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. > > He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... > > It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys > > I'd appreciate your comments and insights > Thank you > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hello Sue, I am so sorry to read about your father, but his story underscores the fact that there's so much mystery associated with Prostate Cancer and, too often, early diagnosis is missed. I am 78 years old and In my case, for more than ten years, my urologist examined me either every 6 or 12 months, including two biopsies and declared me fit and cancer-free while all that time the PSA count was bouncing between 12 and 25. During that time, he was treating me for an enlarged prostate (BPH). A year ago, my PSA jumped to 36 and my urologist called for a third biopsy. This time, it was sad news with a Gleason score of 6 & 7, and the cancer had escaped the capsule into surrounding tissue, including one lymph node. Because we know that cancer of the prostate is slow-growing, I am assuming that I have had cancer there for more than ten years. During all of that time, I have had no symptoms or complaints that would have indicated PC. Now, I started Lupron for 24 months and have finished with 45 days of radiation therapy. My doctors tell me that they have no other arrows, that they have given me everything they have on hand. I've got a follow up appointment with my urologist this month and he will then run some tests to see what progress we may have made. During all of this, both my urologist and oncologist have been optimistic. Neither talk about a cure: Instead, they talk about arresting the growth of my cancer. They have emphasized that I, too, should remain hopeful and optimistic and that would seem to be the right message for you and your father, too. Walk on the Sunny Side of the Street. God Bless. And Sue, do please keep us posted. Chris PS: I forgot to mention one benefit from my cancer treatments. I am now able to urinate more normally, probably because the swollen prostate is shrinking. > > Hello > > My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. > > In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! > > So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. > > On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. > > Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. > > He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... > > It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys > > I'd appreciate your comments and insights > Thank you > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2008 Report Share Posted June 1, 2008 Hello Sue, I am so sorry to read about your father, but his story underscores the fact that there's so much mystery associated with Prostate Cancer and, too often, early diagnosis is missed. I am 78 years old and In my case, for more than ten years, my urologist examined me either every 6 or 12 months, including two biopsies and declared me fit and cancer-free while all that time the PSA count was bouncing between 12 and 25. During that time, he was treating me for an enlarged prostate (BPH). A year ago, my PSA jumped to 36 and my urologist called for a third biopsy. This time, it was sad news with a Gleason score of 6 & 7, and the cancer had escaped the capsule into surrounding tissue, including one lymph node. Because we know that cancer of the prostate is slow-growing, I am assuming that I have had cancer there for more than ten years. During all of that time, I have had no symptoms or complaints that would have indicated PC. Now, I started Lupron for 24 months and have finished with 45 days of radiation therapy. My doctors tell me that they have no other arrows, that they have given me everything they have on hand. I've got a follow up appointment with my urologist this month and he will then run some tests to see what progress we may have made. During all of this, both my urologist and oncologist have been optimistic. Neither talk about a cure: Instead, they talk about arresting the growth of my cancer. They have emphasized that I, too, should remain hopeful and optimistic and that would seem to be the right message for you and your father, too. Walk on the Sunny Side of the Street. God Bless. And Sue, do please keep us posted. Chris PS: I forgot to mention one benefit from my cancer treatments. I am now able to urinate more normally, probably because the swollen prostate is shrinking. > > Hello > > My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. > > In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! > > So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. > > On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. > > Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. > > He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... > > It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys > > I'd appreciate your comments and insights > Thank you > Sue > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 For a man who has widespread mets and for whom hormone therapy is no longer working radiation is used for palliation to alleviate pain form the bone mets but will not be curative. Radiation for a treatment is normally done for men whose cancer has escaped the capsule but not normally if it is throughout the body. A man may be radiated in combination with hormones in the situation that you describe but this man’s cancer appears to be different because it is widespread. . How did your doctor say he targeted the radiation beam in these men? Sue said: “On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis.” Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Tom Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 12:47 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: my father << Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. >> Not so. I've talked with my radiation oncologist about this and he tells me that he has many patients who have significantly elevated PSA readings who he's treated as prostate cancer has metastasized in one location after another over periods of, yes, years. (I didn't ask him about this subject, by the way. He volunteered the information in discussing PSA readings and what to anticipate by way of the " velocity " of PSA change, for lack of a better term, and its implications on down the road after my IMRT protocol is finished a month from now). By the way, I'm being treated by the same bunch of radiation oncologists who are currently treating (Sen. 's wife) and who, obviously, could go anywhere on earth -- to the M. D. Cancer Center in Houston, Yale, Stanford, the Mayo Clinic or even Loma -- if there were any incremental benefit associated with her doing so. However, I'm guessing she likes being treated closer to home, since they have a nice casa just down the road from the hospital where we're being treated ... http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=3848 and at 28,000 square feet it's not too much smaller than the White House, to which Sen. aspires. And I'd guess as medical advice goes, gets fairly good advice and treatment from her docs, as I do. Your mileage, of couse, may vary. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net> Subject: Re: my father To: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: " Sue Saxey " <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 For a man who has widespread mets and for whom hormone therapy is no longer working radiation is used for palliation to alleviate pain form the bone mets but will not be curative. Radiation for a treatment is normally done for men whose cancer has escaped the capsule but not normally if it is throughout the body. A man may be radiated in combination with hormones in the situation that you describe but this man’s cancer appears to be different because it is widespread. . How did your doctor say he targeted the radiation beam in these men? Sue said: “On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis.” Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Tom Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 12:47 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: my father << Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. >> Not so. I've talked with my radiation oncologist about this and he tells me that he has many patients who have significantly elevated PSA readings who he's treated as prostate cancer has metastasized in one location after another over periods of, yes, years. (I didn't ask him about this subject, by the way. He volunteered the information in discussing PSA readings and what to anticipate by way of the " velocity " of PSA change, for lack of a better term, and its implications on down the road after my IMRT protocol is finished a month from now). By the way, I'm being treated by the same bunch of radiation oncologists who are currently treating (Sen. 's wife) and who, obviously, could go anywhere on earth -- to the M. D. Cancer Center in Houston, Yale, Stanford, the Mayo Clinic or even Loma -- if there were any incremental benefit associated with her doing so. However, I'm guessing she likes being treated closer to home, since they have a nice casa just down the road from the hospital where we're being treated ... http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=3848 and at 28,000 square feet it's not too much smaller than the White House, to which Sen. aspires. And I'd guess as medical advice goes, gets fairly good advice and treatment from her docs, as I do. Your mileage, of couse, may vary. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net> Subject: Re: my father To: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: " Sue Saxey " <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 For a man who has widespread mets and for whom hormone therapy is no longer working radiation is used for palliation to alleviate pain form the bone mets but will not be curative. Radiation for a treatment is normally done for men whose cancer has escaped the capsule but not normally if it is throughout the body. A man may be radiated in combination with hormones in the situation that you describe but this man’s cancer appears to be different because it is widespread. . How did your doctor say he targeted the radiation beam in these men? Sue said: “On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis.” Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Tom Sent: Sunday, June 01, 2008 12:47 PM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: Re: my father << Chemotherapy is the only alternative that has been shown to be effective for his stage of prostate cancer. >> Not so. I've talked with my radiation oncologist about this and he tells me that he has many patients who have significantly elevated PSA readings who he's treated as prostate cancer has metastasized in one location after another over periods of, yes, years. (I didn't ask him about this subject, by the way. He volunteered the information in discussing PSA readings and what to anticipate by way of the " velocity " of PSA change, for lack of a better term, and its implications on down the road after my IMRT protocol is finished a month from now). By the way, I'm being treated by the same bunch of radiation oncologists who are currently treating (Sen. 's wife) and who, obviously, could go anywhere on earth -- to the M. D. Cancer Center in Houston, Yale, Stanford, the Mayo Clinic or even Loma -- if there were any incremental benefit associated with her doing so. However, I'm guessing she likes being treated closer to home, since they have a nice casa just down the road from the hospital where we're being treated ... http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=3848 and at 28,000 square feet it's not too much smaller than the White House, to which Sen. aspires. And I'd guess as medical advice goes, gets fairly good advice and treatment from her docs, as I do. Your mileage, of couse, may vary. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net> Subject: Re: my father To: ProstateCancerSupport Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: " Sue Saxey " <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset, UK, his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 2, 2008 Report Share Posted June 2, 2008 I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. "Think of it this way," he said. "Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome." Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net>Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my fatherTo: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) comDate: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: "Sue Saxey" <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 3, 2008 Report Share Posted June 3, 2008 Tom, Ask him these questions if you have time. 1) Is radiation effective in a curative way for men with extensive bone mets? 2) If his answer is yes how do they target the bone mets if they are extensive on a bone scan? I would be interested to hear his answers. Kathy From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Tom Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 12:48 AM To: ProstateCancerSupport Subject: RE: my father I meet with my radiation oncologist every Tuesday, and will meet with him later on today. During those sessions, he asks if I have any questions, if I'm experiencing any side effects I'd like to discuss and so forth. In those discussions, which have been far-reaching, he tells me he's treated some patients over and over again with radiation treatment as prostate cancer has metastasized and has migrated from one location to another throughout their bodies. I don't want to shoot from the hip and give out stats that are inaccurate, so later on today when we meet I'll ask him for a range of PSA values among those men who he's treated with radiation treatment and the timeframes (months or years) over which he's seen those patients. Since I'm not in a situation where I really have to worry about such treatment at this juncture, those discussions have fallen into the interesting but somewhat hypothetical category thus far. However, he also tells me that currently used scanning technology can't detect a tumor if it's less than a cubic centimeter in size (more or less), and that when it has that kind of mass it tends to be correlated with a PSA value of 10 or greater. " Think of it this way, " he said. " Before you had your prostatectomy last fall you had a PSA value of 26 and the prostate organ is about the size of a walnut. So the scans picked up the presence of the tumor in the prostate organ but nowhere else. After radiation treatment, we won't be able to detect a tumor elsewhere in your body until your PSA reading gets back up over a reading of about 10. If your post-op, post-radiation treatment PSA reading stays at 0.4 forever (which was my first post-op PSA reading) that would be a great outcome. " Makes sense to me. From: shedormancomcast (DOT) net <shedormancomcast (DOT) net> Subject: Re: [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father To: ProstateCancerSuppo rtyahoogroups (DOT) com Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008, 10:11 AM Dear Sue, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. This is a great group and there is a lot to learn about Prostate Cancer. My husband has prostate cancer too. All I can suggest is follow Kathy's lead and read and learn all you can about this dreadful disease. If you ever just need to vent, here is the place to do it. There is usually always someone here to help you in with anything you need or questions you may need answered. I will keep you and your dad in my thoughts and prayers. Sincerely, Sheila ------------ -- Original message ------------ -- From: " Sue Saxey " <suesaxey@btopenworl d.com> My father is in Somerset , UK , his hospital is Yeovil. And he had been seeing his doctor but not about anything to do with prostate. He's on medication for blood pressure and he had colitis since retiring, which in recent years has been really well controlled without much medication He came to stay with me last September and mentioned that he'd noticed needing to pee in the night 4 or 5 times in place of the customary once but only for a few weeks at that stage - it felt like a very recent symptom and he asked me if I thought he should tell his GP so I said yes and he did - he had that first PSA (120) that week. What I have realised is that he finds it hard to remember all that has been said - I wish now that I'd gone with him for his September and January appointments - but at the time it felt OK not to. Thank you for the information - I'll have a good read Sue [ProstateCancerSupp ort] my father Hello My name is Sue and my 76 year old father was diagnosed with prostate cancer September 2007. At the time his GP was very reassuring but PSA was 120 and three monthly hormone treatment followed. My father was very cheerfully telling everybody that it was no problem, lots of men had prostate cancer, it's something old men live with. In Jan 2008 his PSA was down to 70 and he told me his specialist was happy. In March he started to experience hip and back pain and went to his GP who ordered an x-ray and then rang him to say it might be to do with his cancer. He wrote to the specialist who wrote back to say that with a PSA of 120 he very likely had metastatic disease at diagnosis - this was news to my father! So a series of PSAs have been done: midApril 280, May2nd 330 and May23rd 383. At the May 2nd appt I went with my father and Casodex 50mg was added and a bone scan ordered. On Friday we saw the bone scan result - widespread metastases throughout the skeleton but principally shoulders, spine, pelvis. Casodex has been stopped, stilboestrol added and we await an appointment with an oncologist. Radiotherapy was mentioned - palliative only - and then chemotherapy was mentioned but the urologist wouldn't really comment saying it was up to the oncologist and also obliquely mentioning costs and funding. He also said average life expectancy in this situation was 9-12 months, but he also expressed surprise at how fit my father looks and is, and asked would he want ureteric stents or to allow his kidneys to fail... It was all a bit shocking to be honest and it's taken me 48hours to think of looking online and here I am - I found you guys I'd appreciate your comments and insights Thank you Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.