Gary, I was told by my specialist that a large proportion of men will die with prostate cancer, but not from it. As has been indicated above, it can be invasive (the procedure) and unnecessary if the cancer itself is slow growing (I understand that the identification as yet is not perfect).
Was this similar to the advice you received?
Ohhh - I think I saw one of those on House. I remember thinking it looked like it would make a cool video arcade game. Hope your doc got the high score! And again, best wishes to you and your innards.
Similar. He showed me a chart which indicated that if I ignored the cancer, there was a 75% chance I would still be alive in 20 years. But when they did the biopsy, 7 of the 12 “core samples” showed cancer, and I was concerned about what would happen if it spread beyond my prostate.
UPDATE: I just left the doctor’s office. PSA blood test: negative. Pathology report: cancer appears to have been localized. For the second time in my life, I am pleased to report that it looks like I have beaten cancer.
Yay!
Get well, soon. My only question is how did you know you had cancer? What made you go to the doctor, etc… If you answered for both bouts, it would be appreciated.
The First Time:
I had a strange lump in my chest. I went to see the doctor because it was changing shape, and my usual cuts, bumps, bruises, lumps, scrapes, and scratches don’t do that. I was actually worried about breast cancer, because I have a male friend who had it. They biopsied the lump and it turned out to be lymphoma.
The Second Time:
I attended the first annual Denver Rare Beer Tasting, which was sponsored by a group called “Pints for Prostates.” They recommended that every male over 50 request a PSA test at their next physical. I did so, and the PSA count was high. They did a (rather unpleasant) 12-point biopsy and found that I did, indeed, have lymphoma. Since I’m only 52, I probably wouldn’t have discovered the cancer for years without requesting that test.
Woot! Woot!
Saint Zero, my husband, just found out he has lymphoma. He has a lump in his neck that continued to grow despite antibiotics, so he was sent to a specialist. The word came back today. What can we expect? He takes care of his mom, and I don’t drive, so he takes me back and forth to work. I am prepared to take time off when it’s needed.
I’m sorry to hear that, Ann.
Unfortunately, the word “lymphoma” isn’t specific enough to tell you what’s going on. There are many different types (most notably Hodgkins and non-Hodgkins). What really makes a huge difference is how early they diagnosed it and whether it has spread. If it’s all in one spot, there’s a chance they can just cut it out and be done with it. If it’s systemic, then he’s looking at chemo, monoclonal antibodies, radiation, or some combination of the above.
Good luck, and keep us posted.
I’m surprised to see a complete lack of mention of any ‘Stage’ that said cancers were in at the time of discovery/treatment.
Gary, what stages are we talking about?
Awesome news! My Mom has had several cancerous bladder tumors removed and they have come a long way with some cancers. The new non invasive surgeries help to keep it localized.
I have no clue. At no time during diagnosis or treatment was a “stage” mentioned with either of my cancers.
With the lymphoma, from looking over the Ann Arbor staging system, I’d say I was Stage II (the cancer was in my chest and my neck).
With the prostate cancer, it was T1c with a Gleason score of 3+4, so based on this chart, I guess that was Stage II as well.
I know I’m coming to this thread a little late, but I just found it in a search. I’m having Prostate surgery next week and your observations have been very helpful and encouraging. Thanks!
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:1, topic:549648”]
And, men, if you’ve never had a PSA test, turn off the damned computer and go get one NOW!
[/QUOTE]
My grandfather got those as part of his yearly check-ups, courtesy of the Colegio de Árbitros de Cataluña (Catalan Soccer Referees Association). He first was told he had an enlarged prostate and to have it checked at age 70 IIRC; 12 years later, his wife had to call an ambulance due to obvious abdominal pain (and I’m talking about a guy who walked to the hospital with peritonitis - by the time you could tell something hurt, normal people would have fainted) and the episode ended up in the surgeon taking out a tangerine-sized prostate.
If he’d told his doctor when he should have, he would have received ambulatory surgery at some point. Instead it was a 10-day hospital stay. He was fine within a few weeks and went on to die at age 95 (he had been having mini-strokes for years and one of them finally wasn’t mini). Oh, and he didn’t quite return to normal sex life but well, anybody whose sex life at 80 was like his simply has unnatural expectations (Grandma reports that it got up but didn’t last as long as previously).
Please people, get any regular check-ups that apply to you. Not only does early detection mean better survival rates, it can mean much-lower medical bills and a lot less time out of commision!
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:1, topic:549648”]
A couple of years ago, I started an “ask the cancer patient” thread. A couple of months ago, I was diagnosed with a different kind of cancer. So, what the heck? Let’s do it again…
[/QUOTE]
Yanno… some people have weird pastimes and I’m very much a “whatever” kind of gal no matter what, but this whole “getting cancer” thing? You’ve got to come up with a better hobby than that!
More seriously - good luck, and may it all be, um, behind you!!
:smack:
Just noticed that this thread is a zombie.
I note with relief that Gary is still posting on the boards today, which means he survived, which is excellent…
unless it means that Gary is himself a zombie :eek::p.
Oh - and adding to the recommendation to get stuff checked regularly! The PSA is no big deal (bloodwork), the “hands on”… well, I’m not a guy, but it can’t be any worse than what us lady-types have to go through routinely… and a few seconds of “wha???” are most likely to be loads better than being, well, dead!
**
Curate**, good luck with your surgery!! Please pop back in and let us know how you’re doing!
Yep, haven’t tried being dead yet. but I would get even a colonoscopy over that (and those I have tried).
Well, since the thread has returned, I did have a question. An etiquette question, of sorts.
Would you have been upset or offended if, during your treatment, a complete stranger asked if you were undergoing any sort of medical treatment? Assuming you presented no visible signs of the treatment?
The reason I ask is that I’ve noticed a distinctive odor associated with cancer, but everyone that I’ve been able to confirm that association with was already being treated–as supported by either visible side effects of the treatment or by hearing about it through other channels. As a result, I don’t actually know if the odor is caused by the cancer or by the treatment.
Essentially, I’m looking for a tactful way to bring it up the next time I catch the scent. I don’t want to upset someone who’s already being treated, but if they aren’t being treated…well, at that point I think tact would come second to recommending that they see a doctor.