by Robert M. TraxlerLet’s discuss prostate cancer; all men will get prostate cancer if we live long enough, it is rapidly becoming the most common cancer in men.
Half of men will get diagnosed with it before 70 years of age. A family history of the disease will double your chances, as will being African American. A simple Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test can detect it in the vast majority of cases. Treated in early stages, it is easily curable with an outpatient procedure. Undetected it may be deadly; if it spreads and causes pain in the pelvic region, it is too late — in most cases it is fatal.
In looking up new advances in prostate cancer care, I googled the subject and this came in the first few links. “Advanced prostate cancer is usually treated with a combination of treatments, which may include hormone therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation. Though advanced prostate cancer is not curable, treatment can often help to control the cancer for prolonged periods of time. Apr 5, 2018” uptodate.com.
This type of information is not only incorrect but dangerous; most of the paragraph is correct, however the statement “advanced prostate cancer is not curable” is incorrect. Most may not be, but some are curable.
I was diagnosed with “advanced aggressive” cancer and stand a 50/50 chance of being cured. 43 IMRT radiation treatments and two years of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) just might whip up on the cancer.
In most cancers it is how far advanced and into what area it has spread that determine whether it can be cured, and that is an individual case-by-case diagnosis. The first doctor (a urologist) to confirm cancer told me it was “advanced and aggressive” and incurable. The news hit hard and coupled with a life expectancy of around six months, put me in a dark place.
Many days passed before I talked with the doctor again, who then said my life expectancy was a few years, not months. Years not months is great news; however the second doctor (oncologist) said with proper treatment, the chance for a cure was better than 50/50.
For some reason, urologists have a habit of painting a darker picture of prostate cancer than needed, perhaps to ensure men take the problem seriously? I have spoken with a few men who told the same story, being told the cancer was advanced and incurable when it was treatable and, in a few cases, curable.The bottom line is, guys, get a prostate specific antigen test; it is a simple blood test that can save your life and save you a truly miserable last few months/years of life. All men with a family history of cancer need to get a PSA test at 45 years, and those of us who know of no family history at 50 years. African Americans, all African American men, need to get a test at 45.
The cancer treatment I have been undergoing will cost more than $110,000. If caught early, an outpatient procedure costing a very small fraction of that has a very good record of curing this cancer.
If you have a loved one who is a male 45 to 50 years of age or older ask them, browbeat them, nag, beg them to get a PSA test. Husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend neighbor, keep after them to get tested; chances are you may save their lives. The test will, at least, set a base line number that will assist your doctor in determining the severity of future PSA level changes.
Men have told me not to be concerned, as prostate cancer is slow growing and you will die of other things before prostate cancer. While some prostate cancer cells are indeed slow growing, many are not. A biopsy (if the PSA and digital rectal exam show a need) is the only way to grade the cells and determine how aggressive they are.
Guys, 43 radiation treatments and two years of drug therapy could have been avoided if I had a PSA test a year earlier. The time is now — the need is there, get tested; you owe it to your loved ones and to yourself.
Thank you again, for your words of wisdom and experience. My Father died of prostate cancer and I have never given it a thought to ask my Brother if he gets a regular PSA test. Your article has made me aware that I should be nudging him along that line.
Pat
Pat,
Thank you, and good for you, keep “nudging”.
From experience, also go see an oncologist after the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Don’t let a urologist do anything, the oncologist will know the best way to deal with it. From our experience, you hear the word cancer and you are ready to do what it takes to get rid of it. The urologist did a complete removal of the prostate and 3 years later, we find he missed some and wanted to start hormone therapy, at that point we went to an oncologist who said he wouldn’t have removed it, he would have done radiation and it would have gotten it all. The hormone therapy did not need to start immediately because it was the slow kind, thus it was another 3 years before we had to start that which is good because of the side effects. After taking that for 3 years and having a .01 psa for the last year, we decided to stop that therapy because of it’s side effects and see if we stayed at the .01. So far so good, it has been 8 months. You really have to do the research of everything , I looked up the hormone therapy on line in a couple places and found that you used to be on it for life, but now they are recommending 18 months they try without to see if the psa stays down, if it doesn’t, you can always go back on. There are a lot of doctors and facilities out there to just make money. Whoever gives the hormone therapy injection gets $5,000 every time someone gets one. That’s why the urologist was in such a hurry to start them.
Karen,
Thank you kindly for the comment.
I do agree with getting an Oncologist involved early, ours is a true professional and we take her advise to the bank. The Urologist wanted to continue the hormone therapy for three years the Oncologist said two years was more than enough.
Wishing you all the best a PSA of .01 is very good and after 8 months it is indeed very good news.
We may agree that folks who find themselves in our situation need to see an Oncologist before making any treatment plans.
You are in my prayers.
Thanks again.