That walnut sized organ: the Prostate

LostinBlanch · 29-07-2020 6:24pm

I saw this article on steam treatment for an enlarged prostate yesterday and thought it might be of interest to some on here.

Calahonda52 · 09-12-2020 2:58pm

Test done last week. My annual one.
PSA is now detectable, at 0.04, up from undetectable.

Another test to do in 3 months and then most lightly the ray gun, assuming the cancer is still in the pelvic area.
As before, the rate of change in the detectable level, is key to what is happening.

If the rate of increase is high, then the ray gun won't help.

Just to recap, I had a Gleeson score of 8, so if it had not been detected, I wouldn't be writing this email.

Keep safe and well and live life to the full, every day.

If 50 or older and male, you know what needs doing.

As before, I don't follow this thread.

This sets the numbers game scene
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-to-handle-a-relapse-after-treatment-for-prostate-cancer-2009031122

Metric Tensor · 09-12-2020 3:03pm

All the best CH. Good luck with the next test.

John Hutton · 09-12-2020 3:13pm

Hi folks, hope all are doing well. My father is 65 now, 10 years since he first got treated and like some previous posters had a very high Gleeson score. It recurred and now he is basically having it managed with PSA undetected and is doing very well with a good quality of life.

Given that my Dad was diagnosed in his mid fifties (and likely had it for a couple of years before) when should I start getting checked up and tested? I'm 30.

Calahonda52 · 09-12-2020 4:22pm

I don't know if its heredity, however a base line now can't hurt.
Your GP may say not to, you need to say yes to!

greenspurs · 10-12-2020 10:19am

Slasher wrote: »

That looks very promising. But, "transutheral" - hopefully under general anesthetic.

Apt user name :P

Calahonda52 · 23-12-2020 9:02am

Dear

Thank you for forwarding the psa.

This is the first detectable reading and it comes 4 and half years post surgery for locally advanced, margin negative high grade disease.

I would be appreciative of another psa after 3 months to establish whether this is a real psa relapse, and indeed whether this is likely to require onward referral to radiation or medical oncology.

I will correspond on receipt of the next psa in due course.

Am not waiting 3 months, will get one done in first week in Jan, 6 weeks after the last one.

ps appt booked for 5th Jan

Hippo · 23-12-2020 9:07am

John Hutton wrote: »

Hi folks, hope all are doing well. My father is 65 now, 10 years since he first got treated and like some previous posters had a very high Gleeson score. It recurred and now he is basically having it managed with PSA undetected and is doing very well with a good quality of life.

Given that my Dad was diagnosed in his mid fifties (and likely had it for a couple of years before) when should I start getting checked up and tested? I'm 30.

My dad died from prostate cancer. I started my check ups from my mid-40s, minimal psa readings annually until this year (I'm 60 now) when it increased suddenly. Biopsy etc, all ok thankfully. I don't think (and I could of course be wrong) that any prostate difficulty doesn't show up until around the mid-40s at least.

Hippo · 23-12-2020 9:07am

Heighway61 wrote: »

Is it usual or possible for PSA to go down? Mine had been increasing slowly in two years since op but last reading down by .01.

Happens all the time, all kinds of reasons for occasional spikes and drops.

Calahonda52 · 06-01-2021 4:57pm

So it came back, same as last time 0.04 so have asked for a game management plan that I can discuss with family and friends, including you lot

I did not share the last result yet as the second test and a plan is the key.

Must say was impressed with the GP service, went down for 10:45, sample was with a courier by 11 and the result this morning.

Assuming its not terminal at this point and assuming we go for the ray gun or/ and chemo, anyone here got any personal experience of remaining at work while having radiotherapy or and chemo.

Water John · 06-01-2021 5:08pm

BIL had radiotherapy after prostrate removal and he found it tiring, but he had retired at that point.

John Hutton · 06-01-2021 5:46pm

No personal experience aside from living with and observing my dad.

He had retired early so work wasn't an issue. He first had radiotherapy instead of an operation to remove the prostate. He found this treatment good and could have worked at a non physical job, physically.

Afterwords he received much hormone therapy. He could not have worked during this as it made him too tired. He did keep up his hobbies though, which in reality are "jobs" for some people, but the key thing being he was able to do it at his own pace with no stress.

When it eventually returned (like you he has a very high score) he has oral chemo and more hormone. He would not be able to work full time due to tiredness. That said, it would depend on whether the job was stressful and if he liked it. For example, if he enjoyed it and could work away on at his own pace he could do it.

I'm over egging it here, basically I'm saying that, based on my dads experience, he could work if it was at something he enjoyed and had little to no pressure or stress. If it was like his previous job, he probably could have done it if he forced himself, but would be perpetually exhausted resulting in little quality of life as he would expend all energy on work.

Hopefully it will still be in the pelvic area (have you heard anything about going to Germany for a body scan? Dad went, its some fancy machine that can show cancer which is undetectable on our machines) and they can zap it with the rays.

You don't seem the type to be too downhearted but I would remain optimistic. My dad thought it was curtains after his came back (and as he had the ray gun they couldn't operate) but his treatment is working great, and when/if this stops working there are other options too.

Calahonda52 · 07-01-2021 4:29pm

Okay, consultant has written to a ray gun expert, with whom I will have a consultation.
.
At 0.04, they can't tell where it might be as alluded to by JH, so any ray gun work would be scatter gun in terms of area and intensity rather than focussed.
or they will do nothing and wait to see where the number gets to.
.
Downsides include 60% chance of permanent urinary incontinence.
.
I will get another test in 6 weeks to track the rate of change.

TheBoyConor · 12-01-2021 12:12am

I'm sorry to hear that it may have returned. Wishing you the very best of luck with the upcoming tests and treatment if it is required.

Calahonda52 · 13-01-2021 10:42am

Elected for a phone conversation, she is in Dublin, I am in Nenagh, as she would not be doing a DRE, not point in travelling:D

Interesting that she will not use Zoom or Teams or Skype... just the phone.
Will update this after the call.

Okay, good conversation: 1 hour long, no waiting in waiting rooms.
She is v good and clear and no high brow language.
Bottom line, wait another 6 weeks for a blood test and review then.

To get on the list for the PSMA scan, I need result of >=1 or >=0.5 and it has doubled on 6 months.
The PSMA scanner in James H has a waiting list of 18 months so thats out.
Can have it in Germany, but not at 0.04, nothing to see.
Radiotherapy (RT) is an option, 50% chance of it getting the source, they assume its the surgical site of where the prostate was removed so its a shot in the dark.

7 weeks, 5 days a week and then a wait of 6 months to see does the PSA go down to zero.
If it doesn't then hormones/chemo options.

She went through the acute (short term) and chronic (long term/permanent) side effects risks, main chronic one is urinary incontinence, it clicks in about 2 years from end of the RT

Calahonda52 · 02-02-2021 9:35am

Just to say it seems I can get the ray gun work done in the Mater private sub office in Limerick so it would mean I could get some work done over the seven weeks.
Dublin would be a non runner for work from Nenagh: 2.5hrs each way and to be there a hour beforehand.
21 days to the next blood test.:)

Calahonda52 · 04-03-2021 8:04pm

Star date 4th March 2021
Bloodtest back: same 0.04 so medical advice is another test in June as it hasn't changed.

Keep safe and well and if you are over 50 and reading this and have not had a PSA test well....go do it!:D

Calahonda52 · 29-03-2021 2:23pm

Went to Limerick this morning for F2F with the oncologist in the Mater Private down there.
Good guy, very clear communicator.

As well as filling out all the paperwork, he did a Rigorous DRE, hence the post title:D
.
His advice is to have another blood test in 6 months, and review then, I will have one in three.
.
He went through the process and the side effects which u can research on
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/external-beam-radiation-for-prostate-cancer/about/pac-20384743#
.
If I want to go for it now, it will take 3 weeks to do the prep and then 7 weeks straight.
[They first do a scan to set up the coordinates on the ray gun, and then do a dummy run to make sure the patient can tolerate the setup, including what sound like a mini self-administered enema which will be required before each session.]
.
His advice is that, at 0.04, is to defer the radiotherapy so as to defer the side effects.
.
His take on the chances of the cancer being at the prostate site, ie where it was, and not anywhere else, is 90% plus so my thinking is get the summer done and go for it mid September so as not to have too many dark nights/mornings driving.

The one downside is that the appointment times may not be the same time every day so thats a bit of a drag from a work perspective.
.
For those of you over 50 and reading this, when is YOUR next PSA test?

Just remember, back in 2014, the test at least extended my life.

Water John · 29-03-2021 10:16pm

I think each session is quite short, just interrupts your day. Might do with someone to drive you there and back.

Calahonda52 · 30-03-2021 9:02am

Water John wrote: »

I think each session is quite short, just interrupts your day. Might do with someone to drive you there and back.

.
The pre session prep takes about 45 minutes to an hour so need to be on site 60 mins before hand, the zap I believe is one minute spread over 10 minutes as they move the raygun around through an arc.

Can self drive , no issue there

Ash.J.Williams · 30-03-2021 9:09am

Not to hijack but to contribute:)

I have kidney cancer (getting it out soon) and it too is a silent cancer , Only an incidental ct scan for another issue showed it, no blood or urine test will show it I guess unless it bleeds which mine doesn’t.

Gael23 · 14-08-2021 2:45am

What age should you start having the finger up the bum check?

AndrewJRenko · 14-08-2021 9:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117750764#Comment_117750764

About 50, according to my GP.

Esel · 14-08-2021 8:00pm

Not funny here, apparently.

muffler · 14-08-2021 8:30pm

ffs Esel. Its neither the time or place for that rubbish.

Esel · 14-08-2021 9:21pm

Twas but a joke, didn't know this was a zero-craic thread.

Posted here instead for those interested.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057753179/the-try-harder-if-ye-want-to-keep-a-second-joke-thread-thread#latest

Calahonda52 · 25-08-2021 11:14am

Star date 25th August 2021

PSA Test done back in 28th July: still at 0.04, so that is flat since Nov last year.

As these test are being done at a different lab, I will have another one done back in the Hermitage, which is where all the other test were done.

Keep safe and well and keeping getting tested if you are of that age.

Calahonda52 · 08-02-2022 9:09am

Star date 2nd Feb 2021

So up from 0.04 in 6 months

As I said before they need to wait till it hits 1 before they can do a scan to see where is it.

Option still there to get the 35 or so shots of the ray gun, guessing where it might, IIRC its the surgical bed, side effects listed not pretty, I know the %'s are low but double permanent incontinence not a great result to look forward to.

Keep safe and well and keeping getting tested if you are of that age, now with no mask mandate, nothing like getting a DRE :)

Calahonda52 · 10-06-2022 2:09pm

So just gone 6 years post surgery, rate of change is increasing so need to think about the radiotherapy.

Keep getting that PSA test done!

Heighway61 · 11-06-2022 5:04pm

All the best, Cal.

Calahonda52 · 11-06-2022 5:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119188730#Comment_119188730

Thanks, some light reading on the math in the link below.

Spent a few hours reading stuff about it.

The issue is they don't know where it is as it won't show at 0.06 in a scan so they assume the surgical bed.

0.2 seems like where they will start SRT...salvage radiotherapy.

The side effects of the SRT are well known so it's a shot in the dark, with potential deterioration in QoL.. quality of life.

The plus side is I don't have any plumbing problems post surgery, am in good nick otherwise and am <75

The minus is that the cancer was aggressive and scored Gleeson 8 so.....

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6935690/

Copy into your www and delete the gaps, it would not let me post it in full

Gael23 · 11-06-2022 9:34pm

Got my first finger up the bum during the week.

it wasn’t the most comfortable experience,

roshje · 11-06-2022 9:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190011#Comment_119190011

No pain no gain. Worth it for the trouble. Hopefully all was good

AndrewJRenko · 11-06-2022 10:58pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190011#Comment_119190011

Fascinating, but let’s keep on topic of prostate testing.

Calahonda52 · 12-06-2022 9:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190011#Comment_119190011

It needs to be uncomfortable for the exercise to achieve its objectives, when I got mine done, he was able to feel the lump.

Gael23 · 14-06-2022 12:15pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190277#Comment_119190277

Rectal examination is a key part of prostate screening

greenspurs · 14-06-2022 1:54pm

had DRE done as part of physical , took about 2 secs, no big deal really...

AndrewJRenko · 14-06-2022 5:03pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119200606#Comment_119200606

https://gfycat.com/grandperiodicbarb

^^^^^

Calahonda52 · 04-10-2022 7:58am

4 months after last test, now at 0.07, see context a few posts up

Calahonda52 · 22-12-2022 7:32pm

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/22/jacinda-arderns-arrogant-prick-comment-nets-more-than-100000-at-auction

A little humour

Larbre34 · 25-12-2022 4:13pm

Or in its native Kiwi, 'errogint preck'

Gael23 · 05-01-2023 10:44am

sufferung with prostatitis and having a strange issue when I do a Poo some fluid seems to come from the prostate

TheRiverman · 05-01-2023 10:56am

I've had the test, both physical and bloods done annually for many years now. I'm 67, thankfully no problems so far. The amount of discomfort with the DRE is minimal.

TheRiverman · 05-01-2023 3:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119190011#Comment_119190011

It's a very small discomfort when your Doctor tells you that your prostate feels normal.

Calahonda52 · 13-01-2023 8:06pm

Good stuff: the PSA tests are important as well as the DRE

Phil.x · 07-06-2023 10:45am

I got bloods done the other week for the first time ever, no reason other than turning 47.

High cholesterol,

High iron,

High PSA,

Examination next week,

And a second blood test mid July.

I've no symptoms or problems.

I do weight training.

But these result have shocked me, and have made me feel sick.

Calahonda52 · 11-06-2023 12:48pm

Phil, have been off this forum since March, just back today.

How did it work out in the test?

High PSA of itself is not the final answer, it can be high for other reasons

Phil.x · 13-06-2023 6:34pm

Got the examination this morning and doc said its perfectly normal, so next blood test in 4 weeks, he told me no sexual activitie of any kind, cycling or exercise for the week before the test.

I'm very happy that I went for it and it's done and my mine is now at rest.

Calahonda52 · 14-06-2023 11:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120710992#Comment_120710992

Good stuff.

Was it the full rigorous DRE?

Its a serious question as you need it done by someone who knows what they are about.

These are new pre-test restrictions!

At one point they did research on professional cyclists to see was there any correlation between saddle time and elevated PSA etc

IIRC there were so much drugs in the system they couldn't tell what was causing what :)

Hotblack Desiato · 14-06-2023 3:07pm

So no 'pedal and crank' and you can't go cycling either! 😜

That walnut sized organ: the Prostate

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