Prostate Cancer

[eve1974]

Hi anyone (esp squad) able to help with positive scenario

My dad : 72yr
Below is text from my mum.

PSA 14
Prostate swollen, hard lump which makes urologist think tumour. MRI will give further detail. Also did ultrasound. If MRI indicates tumour next will be a biopsy. He is not emptying bladder fully. After sample for dr there was still 250ml in bladder. Of course, he doesn't want to drink much and I worry about flushing kidneys and dehydration but can understand.

The mri will show grading and type of cancer. If aggressive will need prostate removal if slow then medication


As they left urologist he said “sorry to give you probable bad news”

(My own concerns are - if it’s aggressive is it curable ? Symptoms do seem to have come on quite fast.

Also at 72 my dad still works full time (he lives in South Africa there is no nhs and he must work as cannot afford not to) and if there is a prostatectomy I think he will surely be unable to work for a while! And wld they prob do chemo I wonder?

[bednobs]

yes, you are correct

[Sqad]

In simple terms, the cancer has spread from the prostate gland into the surrounding tissues including the urethra but worse still into the pelvic lymph glands.
Stage 4 and not good news I'm afraid.
Sorry.

[eve1974]

Thank you both. Scared and very sad :(

[choux]

eve, so sorry to read this, sending you warm wishes.

[barry1010]

So sorry for you, your dad and all who love him.

[eve1974]

Thank you choux, Barry.

He had a psa test a year ago that was fine. so it’s a huge shock that in a year he’s gone from no cancer to stage 4.

[Sqad]

Eve....a normal PSA doesn't exclude prostate cancer.

[eve1974]

Oh ok Ty sqad. I thought that was always the first “test”. But now I see (some) subtypes of prostate cancers don’t raise psa much.

[Sqad]

I think that the treatment will be radiotherapy and hormonal treatment.
Surgery will be a difficult decision.

[eve1974]

Ty sqad - and yes to my layman’s eyes I can’t see the point of removing prostate of its spread beyond? But of course if it needs to alleviate pain / symptoms.

I’m looking on uk Macmillan site (

want to avoid the total Google thing as misinformation can be spread from random posts.

Holding onto buenchicos story too

[choux]

Rightly so, eve. This is where, imo, Sqad is the best contributor on AB and who so much appreciates follow ups. Long may he reign.

[Buenchico]

Think positive, Eve.

The spread of my own prostate cancer puts it into 'Stage 4' but, the better part of two years after diagnosis, I'm still here and determined to continue to be an annoyance on AB for quite some time yet ;-)

[Mamyalynne]

It's a lot to take in for you all Eve, I send positive thoughts and best wishes. x

[ParsleyDumpling]

Hi eve1974, whilst you may not be able to get there quickly, I am pretty certain South Africa is no longer on the red list. Best wishes for your Dad.

[eve1974]

Yes parsley - it’s off the red list and I’m looking at flights. Not booking until I know more about what (if any!) op he will have

I am 5 weeks into a new job but will ask if I can take unpaid leave or if I can work remotely from sa. (Tho with my role that may not be so able).

[ParsleyDumpling]

Hopefully you can see him soon, regardless of his diagnosis. I am hoping to surprise my sister (Johannesburg) for her 60th next May.

[eve1974]

So my dad had his biopsy today under GA.

Obv he hasn’t got those results back but his surgeon did see him before he was discharged.

The surgeon said:

even without the lab results today has confirmed its “substantial “ (not a word that goes well with cancer!)

Doc further said that :

A PET scan will be done prob in next 2 weeks.

There will be surgery of some sort. (He referred to a “big cut to come” so that means open rather than laparoscopic I guess.

That it’s unlikely that doc will recommend radiation (that surprised me but I wonder if perhaps my dad misunderstood or if I missed something when my dad relayed it to me).

That my dad is fitter than average for 72 and that counts in his favour as gives more options

I keep holding onto the fact buenchico is doing well.

Any idea as to why the PET wld be suggested? Obv again I realise no one can dx on here with the limited info I gave but just keen for input

[eve1974]

Oh and doc said it’s broken out of capsule but we knew that from mri results anyway

[calmck]

A PET scan looks for signs of involvement in all areas of the body and I think it helps identify lesions. Following a CAT scan I had a PET as the CAT showed a "lesion" in the long. The PET scan determined it was nothing.

[Sqad]

Clearly extensive surgery has been decided upon.
However if the cancer has spread to lungs ,liver or bone, then surgery is out of the question.
A PET scan will answer that question.