just been diagnosed with prostate cancer...help needed

nazia · New User Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

hi guys i need some help, glad i found this forum so i can discuss this,

my uncle was recently diagnosed with protate cancer, he had been complaining of back pain for over 3 months now and the doctor did a CT scan and found out the he has cancer, but the sad news is that the cancer has spead to the spine meaning its in the bones,

he has lost a lot of weight and finds it hard to breath sometimes on some days he is fine and talks normal, he is currently in a hospice having hormonal treatment as its to advanced to do surgery, but doctor has said if he get more heathly and is well enough he could have the laser treatment (sorry i dont know the technical terms for it) that helps reduce the pain and hit the cancer cells direct, the docator also said its grade 4 or level 4 he mentioned some along those lines dont know what that means to be honest? can any one help? he is 65 years old, male

i just want to know what are the chances of survival? i seriously hope he will be fine but the way the he currently looks and what people around keep sayin its scaring me.

i want an honest answer how long do you guys think he has left???

Replicant · Moderator Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 744

Hi.
I'm sorry to hear about your uncle.

Metastatic prostate cancer is not curable. The doctor may be talking about spot radiation to reduce tumors and relieve pain. It would be a palliative, not curative, treatment.

It's not possible for anyone here to predict survival time. It's difficult even for a doctor treating a patient to do that.

My advice is to try to dwell on the positive. Spend as much good time now with your uncle as you can. Store up some good memories. Make him as comfortable and happy as possible.

I wish you well.
_________________
Replicant

Dx Feb 2006, PSA 9 @age 43
RRP Apr 2006 - Gleason 3+4, T2c, NXMX, pos margins
PSA 5/06 <0.1, 8/06 0.2, 12/06 0.6, 1/07 0.7.
Salvage radiation (IMRT) total dose 70.2 Gy, Jan-Mar 2007@ age 44
PSA 6/07 0.1, 9/07 (and thereafter) <0.1
http://pcabefore50.blogspot.com

srtimmons

Nazia - your Uncle needs to see a medical oncologist ASAP. Radiation will likely not work, but Chemo and/or hormone treatments will slow down the progress.

Once it has spread to the spine, it is not a good prognosis, but hard to say how long he has.

My brother passed in February and he survived 10 months after diagnosis. It too had spread to his spine, but I think he delayed treatment a few months. Your Uncle needs to start now.

Good luck with it.
_________________
Age 58
Dx 6/15/2009; PSA 7.1; 7/12 cores positive; Gleason 6 (3+3) and 7 (3+4); PNI observed. Bone Scan and CT scan negative. Robotic RP 7/20/2009

Path report 8/11/2009 - clean margins, negative lymph nodes, negative seminal vesicles, Gleason 3+4, Stage T2c; 15% of prostate involved; NoMx.

Post-RRP PSA: 9/09: .006

nazia · New User Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

thanks for your help, i'm trying to be positive but im hard seeing him in that state my heart bleeds, we know its not curable but maybe they can prolong it,

do you know what grade 4 or level 4 means???

my uncle is currently having treatment, we had to go private as NHS take way to long in giving treatment,

what is the best treatment at this moment of time??? he is having a scan next week to see if the hormone theorpy has worked or not, he also has injections once a month,.

srtimmons

Stage IV means it has spead out side the prostate to lymph system, bones, other tissues, etc. It is the worst of the 4 stage grading system.
_________________
Age 58
Dx 6/15/2009; PSA 7.1; 7/12 cores positive; Gleason 6 (3+3) and 7 (3+4); PNI observed. Bone Scan and CT scan negative. Robotic RP 7/20/2009

Path report 8/11/2009 - clean margins, negative lymph nodes, negative seminal vesicles, Gleason 3+4, Stage T2c; 15% of prostate involved; NoMx.

Post-RRP PSA: 9/09: .006

nazia · New User Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

so it means we should just expect the worst then, but i have searched online and it says some people survive it for a maybe a 1 year or 2? im tryin tobe positive my uncle is very much positive he feels he can beat it or maybe even live a couple more years

notme · Guest

so sorry, but bottom line is it can't be cured.

I watched my sister go through chemo and radiation, which made her so weak she couldn't pick up a spoon, or walk--even with a walker, she was miserable and she had to say that she wished to die in the end, in order to get off life sustaining equipment. It was a year + of agony, that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

He's had 69 years, keep him smiling.....and I wish you well.

Hawk · Senior User Joined: 22 Nov 2006 Posts: 406

It is possible your uncle could survive a year or two, maybe longer. It depends on how sensitive his prostte cancer is to hormone therapy. There is at least some chance the therapy will knock the cancer way back for a period of time ranging from a few months to much longer. No one can really guess. The scans he is going to have should give some idea how it is responding to the therapy.
_________________
History: PSA's 6.7 neg. biopsy - PSA 16.6 neg. biopsy - PSA's 8.2, 8.1, 8.7 - Biopsy. 4+4 Gleason 8. Lap RP Apr 2004, age 52 All neg margins, nodes, and structures. (T2a). Post RP PSA: every 6 mo. <.1 until Feb, 08 (46 mos) PSA .1 - I then got sensitive tests (all in 2008) showing:
Feb .06, May .09, Jun .10, Aug .10, Nov .15 -SRT

srtimmons

Keep up hope. There are clinical trials which show promise (check them out at ClinicalTrials.gov). Also, everyone reacts differently. With hormone treatment it is possible for a year or two.

Don't give up hope!!

We're here for you.
_________________
Age 58
Dx 6/15/2009; PSA 7.1; 7/12 cores positive; Gleason 6 (3+3) and 7 (3+4); PNI observed. Bone Scan and CT scan negative. Robotic RP 7/20/2009

Path report 8/11/2009 - clean margins, negative lymph nodes, negative seminal vesicles, Gleason 3+4, Stage T2c; 15% of prostate involved; NoMx.

Post-RRP PSA: 9/09: .006

nazia · New User Joined: 07 Sep 2009 Posts: 4

i just wanted to let you guys knw that my uncle passed away 2 days ago, he was battling cancer but it wasnt that the cancer killed him it was his weakness and he lost all hope in the end, he didnt want to fight it he was in too much pain, beleive me seeing someone in soo much pain havin them go thru all that is so real,

thnaks for all you advice earliar guys

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