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Prostate
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Given a choice which is better. Removal of the prostate or having radiotherapy?
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Hi pdq
I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer in July 2010 and my Gleason score was 3+3, which I was told was good and that the cancer I had was the least aggressive. However, I had a lot of trouble with Retention and so, after discussions with the Urologist and Oncologist, I decided to have surgery. I was lucky enough to have been around at the time when Frimley Park Hospital was "trying out" Robotic surgery and I, along with three other gents, were able to undergo this Robotic surgery for the first time at Frimley Park. I had the surgery on the Monday and was home on the following Wednesday at lunchtime. I had 7 weeks of radiotherapy at St. Lukes Cancer Centre (part of Royal Surrey Hosp., Guildford) in the Jan/Feb of 2011. I still see the Urologist once a year and the oncologist once a year. So, all in all, I'm not doing too bad. As Sqad has said, he needs a lot more info before giving any comments. Just on a final note, in the Mail on Sunday a few months ago, a leading Cancer specialist quoted " a Gleason score of 3+3 should not now be regarded as cancer". By the way, although I have had surgery and radiotherapy, I still have PSA blood tests - after surgery it was 0.3, last reading in November last year was 0.2 Keep us posted on what you decide. Hope this is of some help.
FBG40
I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer in July 2010 and my Gleason score was 3+3, which I was told was good and that the cancer I had was the least aggressive. However, I had a lot of trouble with Retention and so, after discussions with the Urologist and Oncologist, I decided to have surgery. I was lucky enough to have been around at the time when Frimley Park Hospital was "trying out" Robotic surgery and I, along with three other gents, were able to undergo this Robotic surgery for the first time at Frimley Park. I had the surgery on the Monday and was home on the following Wednesday at lunchtime. I had 7 weeks of radiotherapy at St. Lukes Cancer Centre (part of Royal Surrey Hosp., Guildford) in the Jan/Feb of 2011. I still see the Urologist once a year and the oncologist once a year. So, all in all, I'm not doing too bad. As Sqad has said, he needs a lot more info before giving any comments. Just on a final note, in the Mail on Sunday a few months ago, a leading Cancer specialist quoted " a Gleason score of 3+3 should not now be regarded as cancer". By the way, although I have had surgery and radiotherapy, I still have PSA blood tests - after surgery it was 0.3, last reading in November last year was 0.2 Keep us posted on what you decide. Hope this is of some help.
FBG40
O.K
bednobs.....the surgeon will not advice you in cases of prostate cancer....he will give you the alternatives, but you will have to make the decision.
pdq1....that is helpful and almost certainly he will have a low|Gleason Score and if that was me....then here are my recommendations.
1) No treatment at all.......just 6 monthly P.S.A's....don't discount this recommendation as i am serious in suggesting it.
2) Radiotherpy followed by hormone treatment.
3) I would not even consider surgery.
Hope this helps.
bednobs.....the surgeon will not advice you in cases of prostate cancer....he will give you the alternatives, but you will have to make the decision.
pdq1....that is helpful and almost certainly he will have a low|Gleason Score and if that was me....then here are my recommendations.
1) No treatment at all.......just 6 monthly P.S.A's....don't discount this recommendation as i am serious in suggesting it.
2) Radiotherpy followed by hormone treatment.
3) I would not even consider surgery.
Hope this helps.
pdq1
Surgery for the prostate is an invasive procedure and carries all the risks of such a procedure......e.g Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus.
long term complications may be incontinence and impotence.
From the PSA and even without knowing the Gleason Score, one can be certain that this is a very slow growing tumour.....so slow that he is likely to die of old age before the tumour spreads.
Surgery would be like cracking a walnut with a hammer.....
That is my opinion.
Surgery for the prostate is an invasive procedure and carries all the risks of such a procedure......e.g Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolus.
long term complications may be incontinence and impotence.
From the PSA and even without knowing the Gleason Score, one can be certain that this is a very slow growing tumour.....so slow that he is likely to die of old age before the tumour spreads.
Surgery would be like cracking a walnut with a hammer.....
That is my opinion.
So do I, sibs......it's a bit of a narrow-minded attitude that has been demonstrated here as it's only advice.....Sqad has always said that. I am sure pdq's friend will be taking professional counsel but having an idea of what the issues are is better than going in there pretending to look like a stuffed, inert salami.
I must add that fbg's contribution was most useful.
I must add that fbg's contribution was most useful.
Prudie, the question was, "Given a choice which is better......" If the question is purely hypothetical then there is no problem with anyone giving their opinion, irrespective of their level of medical qualification. However, pdq1 may be asking for personal medical advice and may need to make an informed decision. The only person qualified to give that advice is the patient's doctor.
