Prostate Cancer

[Englishbird]

My uncle has just been diagnosed with cancerous tumours in his groin, near the prostate, although he has none of the typical symptoms of prostate cancer.

Is it possible that it is still prostate cancer without the symptoms? I am worried that he has cancer of the lymph glands, which I know has a much lower success rate than prostate cancer.

Obviously I'm only getting info 3rd hand, and I'm sure there's more to it than this, He's having an MRI next week, I just want to prepare myself for the worst I guess.

[morg_monster]

First, I really would wait for the MRI, and more information from your uncle's doctor. It is of course impossible to say what is wrong, as I'm sure you know, but I suppose preparing for the worst is a reasonable strategy.

I work primarily on trials of treatments (drugs and radiotherapy) for prostate cancer, so I know probably more than a layperson about it, but I AM NOT A DOCTOR!

I would say, it is possible that it is prostate cancer, but I would say somewhat unlikely. Symptoms are usually the first sign men have that something is wrong. Most prostate cancers almost always interfere with urination, or sexual function (though I suppose your uncle wouldn't necessarily talk to you about that!). In the absence of a PSA test, it is usually the symptoms which flag something is wrong.

Some prostate cancers don't have any symptoms, and it could be possible that he has this, and it has spread to the lymph nodes. However for a prostate cancer to spread like this it would be quite advanced and so by this point would usually cause the usual symptoms as well. Usually it is only early stage, very slow growing prostate cancers which are symptom-less and don't cause problems - and these do not usually spread.

If you don't mind me asking, how old is your uncle, and how did the tumours get picked up? Did he just get some lumps and bumps investigated?

Here at work we usually recommend the cancerbacup website as a source of useful info, and the cancer research site. I hope your uncle gets good news next week, like you say, prostate cancer does have a much better cure / survival / success rate than most other cancers.

[Englishbird]

thanks morg-monster, that was very helpful, although i'm afraid it's not looking good, although I wont share my suspicions whith the rest of the family yet. He's had lumps in his groin for 18 months, the doctor has been telling him they're cysts and not to worry about them. I'm not going to get myslef too worked up until they've completed the tests and find out exactly what were dealing with. thanks again.