PSA test, catching disease early keys vs. prostate cancer

(The seventh in a series of columns about one man’s battle against prostate cancer)

by Robert M. Traxler

Three months have passed since a simple blood test waved the red flag of a high Prostate Specific Antigen test (PSA).

The PSA test was followed up by a Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) that showed the prostate to be enlarged and firm. Both the PSA and DRE are not perfect, but if nothing is found that is abnormal a repeat test every year or two may be all that is needed. If the tests are abnormal a Prostate biopsy may be required. The biopsy will be proof that cancer exists or not and if cancer exists what type it is and how aggressive it is.

Most cancers of the prostate are slow growing and if discovered in early stages they can be monitored or treated with several procedures. In its early stages a simple outpatient procedure can cure the cancer. The caution here is if discovered early. Prostate cancer is the second most lethal cancer in men and closing in on lung cancer, as the number of men who smoke or smoked is rapidly going down.

Had I had the PSA test done earlier, a few days of discomfort could have been all that was necessary to cure the cancer with a 90-plus percent cure rate, not the six months to two years of less than pleasant treatment I am currently undergoing with a 40 percent chance of a cure.

Please remember that men in Moline, Hopkins, Martin, Dorr and Wayland will get prostate cancer and it will kill 375 of us.

Most prostate cancer is treatable in its early stages and the earlier the better. Even if not curable treating the cancer can extend a man’s life for in some cases for many years, long enough that we die of another ailment before the cancer; however, it must be detected early.

Advanced stage prostate cancer treatment is not pleasant; that said, it is not even close to being unbearable. I was feeling fine when the PSA test discovered a potential problem, no symptoms that could not be simply dismissed as just getting older were present. When the telltale painful symptoms of prostate cancer present themselves, it is mostly in the incurable stage.

The PSA test is only accurate 80% of the time, so folks tend to dismiss it; the test tends to be inaccurate mostly on the false positive side. I think it is better to be overly cautious with a deadly disease.

Two large shots of the hormone Firmagon administered into the stomach are currently working to stop or slow the growth of the cancer. The shots are slightly painful and some pain at the injection site still lingers, but it was not even close to the pain involved in some dental procedures. Other side effects are barely noticeable at this early stage of treatment.

A blood test to measure testosterone and PSA will tell if the Firmagon has worked and if it has been effective in slowing or stopping the cancers growth. The Firmagon will be replaced by Lupron, a less aggressive chemotherapy type drug. The radiation treatments to kill the cancer will start in April/May after the cancer’s growth has hopefully been checked. Additional procedures at University of Michigan will be needed before the radiation starts, more on that later.

Prostate cancer is a serious disease that kills 3% of all men, men of all ages, but mostly between 45 and 70. Guys, please get a PSA test; you owe it to yourself but more importantly to your loved ones. If you wait until symptoms present themselves, it will be too late.