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Bamboo
New User
Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 3
Location: Chicago
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 Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:13 pm Post subject: Sometimes there is a GREAT outcome... |
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I wanted to share my story because this forum was very helpful for me as I was contemplating my situation with prostate cancer, and if I can offer some hope to those of you who are getting this life changing news - then I've done what I can.
I'm 57 years old, about 20 lbs. overweight - but otherwise in good health. My PSA went from 1.8 in 2005, to 3.1 in 2006 to 6.1 in 2007. Following the 6.1 results, I had a biposy (16 cores). I had no symptoms, and a DRE prior to the biopsy was normal.
The day before Thanksgiving (2007), I got a call from my urologist who told me (this is an exact quote) "You have a very aggressive prostate cancer - and I want you to immediately get a bone scan and a CT scan to see how far it has spread". He told me that 4 or the cores were malignant, and that all Gleason scores were 8's or 9's.
The following week, I got both scans, and once the results were in, my wife and I met with the urologist. He told me that both scans had come up clear, but that I needed to take some kind of action given the high Gleason scores. He walked me through my options - surgery or radiation.
After some additional research, and long conversations with four other guys who had had both conventional and robotic surgery, I decided on robotic surgery. I found and and met with a surgeon who had performed approximately 150 robotic prostectomies - and we scheduled my surgery of Jan. 2 (six weeks and one day after the biopsy).
The surgery went very well, and I was released from the hospital the day after the operation. While I was in some pain, I was able to get by just taking Tylenol - even though I left the hospital with a perscription for something much stronger.
Two days later, I was back in the hospital. As it turned out, my small intestine had herniated into one of the holes in my abdominal wall left by one of the robotic tools. What I have since learned from my research is that this happens in about 1 out of every 500 robotic prostecomies.
Repairing the herniated intestine involved virtually the same surgical procedure that the robotic surgery was designed to avoid - a large trans-abdominal incision. The surgeon made a 9 inch cut from my pelvic bone up to my belly button. I spent the next 6 days in the hospital, and was again released to go home.
So the bad news is - 2 major surgeries (full anestetic) in 4 days - and the pain associated with the conventional surgery and incisions.
Here's the good news:
1. The pathology from the removed prostate indicated no higher than Gleason 7 cells... much better than the 8 and 9 scores following the biopsy.
2. The pathology further indicated good margins on the entire prostate, and the lymph nodes (also removed during the surgery) were cancer free.
3. The day I was released from the hospital following the second surgery, my catheter was remove, and I had 100% bladder control within one week.
4. The surgeon was able to save the nerves necessary for erections, and while they are not what they used to be (yet), they are getting better - and it's only been 60 days! And orgasms are working fine.
5. I got the results of my first post-surgery PSA test - and it could not be better (0.0). While I won't be out of the woods for many years - 0.0 is a good start.
6. Two months after TWO surgeries, I am 98% back to normal (although I can't do any heavy lifting for another 60 days.)
All in all, I have been blessed. While it was just bad luck that I needed a second surgery, I'd trade 100 of those surgeries for the outcome.
Would I do the robotic surgery again? ABSOLUTELY! The pain from the robotic surgery incisions was almost gone by the time I went in for the second operation. And the precision that the surgeon has in performing the surgery, at least in my case, paid huge dividends.
So the moral of this story is that things are not always as bad as they initially seem. Hang in there, be optimistic - and get a good surgeon - and things can turn out great! |
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b b
New User
Joined: 29 Feb 2008
Posts: 8
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:26 pm Post subject: Re: Sometimes there is a GREAT outcome... |
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Congratulations, that is fantastic news!! Sometimes all we hear is the bad news, so it's great to see a positive message.
Slightly off-topic question, I'm in the Chicago area as well....who did your surgery? |
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Replicant
Moderator
Joined: 01 Nov 2006
Posts: 220
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| Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:00 pm Post subject: great! |
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Fantastic news, especially regarding the Gleason score and clear margins.
You're in a very good category. According to Walsh, you have an 86% chance of having an undetectable PSA 10 years from now. (p. 373, "Dr. Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer.").
_________________
Replicant
Dx Feb 2006, PSA 9 @age 43
RRP Apr 2006 - Gleason 3+4, T3a, N0M0, 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 <0.1, 12/07 <0.1, 4/08 <0.1
http://pcabefore50.blogspot.com |
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acedave3
Regular
Joined: 03 Sep 2007
Posts: 22
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| Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2008 2:03 am Post subject: Re: Sometimes there is a GREAT outcome... |
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Congraulations on your results!. Always good to hear positive news, thanks for sharing.
I have just finished radiation and will have a PSA in four months. Hopefully I can likewise share some positive results with this good forum. Dave  |
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goruck
Experienced user
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 51
Location: sarasota florida
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