Navydad..in regards to your comment for PSA...

[redrazor]

punctuation

10 or so years ago I had 'seed implants' when my PSA went 4+ and biopsy found a 'trace' in 1 of the spots. Since then my PSA always comes back .01.

Almost identical to my story, Ray! Mine was caught at PSA 4.0. Then biopsies; (positive for cancer), then radio active seed implants. HOWEVER: my bladder shut down completely a week later; and I now have a supra-pubic catheter that goes in my "second belly button" and into my bladder. The tube comes out and is strapped to my thigh with a draincock. I try to empty it every 3-4 hours, with no real inconvenience. I also don't have to get up during the night since I hook up the tube to a 2 liter bag that hangs on my bed frame! No more night trips to the bathroom. :clap: LOL I've been living a good life with all of this for almost 4 yrs now! Yearly PSA tests now at .02 :clap: :thumbup:

Getting Old isn't for sissies they say, but at 76 I'm doing very well. My great wife and my Spyder and my Hot Rod Ford keep me feeling young and happy! :yes:

 

[Bangorbob]

Same here, except I demanded antibiotics as soon as I felt the infection and headed septis off. BTW, that urologist ordered the biopsy without even a digital exam, and wanted to operate when atypical was the finding although PSA was <4. Needless to say, I went to another urologist, who did his own PSA and tracking (and the finger wave, saying it felt normal). That was ~2005. I did have the green light lazer in about 2010 due to BPH, and that is all still good. Just slowly increasing PSA now.

The unfortunate thing for me was the septis came on so fast I didn't know what hit me. I started feeling around 8pm on a thursday night and by friday morning I was basically gone. The ER doctor thanked my wife for calling 911 and got me into the hospital by 630am. Dr said if I would have waited, I wouldn't be here now.
I agree with how serious this stuff can get. Hope all gets well and live a long happy life.

 

[2dogs]

Bob, you owe your wife dinner and some flowers my man. Glad you're still around. Thank her for all of us out here in spyderlovers world.

 

[Bangorbob]

I would like to take the opportunity to thank all who have posted on this subject and other medical subjects. It gives the rest of us time to thank our loved ones, friends, and people here for bringing to light and helping others understand medical issues that may or may not affect us.
Again, thanks to all.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here are three articles that give a good discussion of the value, or lack of, of PSA tests. In short, an elevated PSA, >4.0, MAY be an indicator of POSSIBLE prostate cancer. Only about 25% of men with elevated PSA and who then had a biopsy actually had cancer. Maybe we need to pin our hopes on a new type of cancer test that a friend of mine had done at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona. It hasn't been approved yet by FDA for general use, but supposedly is close. Mayo apparently is using it but the patient has to pay for it. My friend said his doctor at Mayo said it is highly reliable in detecting the presence or propensity (I don't know which), of dozens of different types of cancer.

Here are the articles.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-psa-reliable-20110327214

https://www.cancer.gov/types/prostate/psa-fact-sheet

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/psa-test/about/pac-20384731

 

[wyliec]

Here is the new test for determining prostate cancer called PSE.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230207191546.htm

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here is the new test for determining prostate cancer called PSE.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230207191546.htm

Sure looks promising, doesn't it? Wonder how long it will be before it's widely available in the US. One year, 5 years, 10 years?

 

[Navydad]

Great. As I stated earlier the detection and treatment of prostate cancer has progressed immensely since my surgery in 2018, especially the detection side. I know of at least three new prostate cancer scans that have been implemented each one better than the last. I hope this is true with all types of cancers.

 

[wyliec]

Sure looks promising, doesn't it? Wonder how long it will be before it's widely available in the US. One year, 5 years, 10 years?

I'm still trying to get past what your current dr. said and thinking other drs. may feel the same way even when or if the new PSE comes about, regarding people over 70, especially with comorbidities.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'm still trying to get past what your current dr. said and thinking other drs. may feel the same way even when or if the new PSE comes about, regarding people over 70, especially with comorbidities.

Since every man is expected to develop prostate cancer to some degree, I think the focus will shift from "not if" to "how much" cancer may be present. If the test is positive, say at age 65, then it may be performed every two or three years and a judgment made about how fast it's growing. If the projection is that it won't be life threatening within, say, 15 years then periodic testing will probably the plan. If in two or three years, or less, it shows rapid growth, then treatment would be called for. I wonder if there is any good data showing what correlation there is in rate of growth versus morbidity. I'm guessing probably not.

I sent the link to the UK study to my doctor. It'll be interesting what he comes back with, if at all.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'm still trying to get past what your current dr. said and thinking other drs. may feel the same way even when or if the new PSE comes about, regarding people over 70, especially with comorbidities.

I trust you reviewed articles I link to in post #25. The only thing certain when it comes to determining the existence and extent of prostate cancer is that it is all shrouded in uncertainty. There's no question in my mind that my doctor reflects the general thinking, and experience, that is shared by the vast majority of the medical community at this time. He has always struck me as being pretty level headed and not one to chase all sorts of off the wall medical possibilities.

 

[2dogs]

When I was 54 yrs old I had a PSA level jump from 3 to 7 in a year. At 55 I was advised the cancer was aggressive and fast growing. It would not be so if I were 75. I went to another state and requested a second test. The results were the same. I had two biopsies performed at two separate locations using separate labs. The first one came in at 7 and the second at 6. I inquired as to why the difference between the biopsies. I was told the first biopsy actually removed a small chunk of cancer. Ok, I was good with that. What I wasn't good with was after all the seminars I'd attended I learned to follow the money and stay away from all the new upcoming procedures being touted by aggressive physicians. If you test positive or negative, don't risk your life on one or even two tests. Ask questions get tested several times and by all means, do your research. Don't pin yourself to only one diagnosis and one solution. I wish you all good luck long life and many many spyders yet to go.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I'm still trying to get past what your current dr. said and thinking other drs. may feel the same way even when or if the new PSE comes about, regarding people over 70, especially with comorbidities.

Here's what my doc answered when I sent him the link.

That looks like an open coming test. I tried to see if I could order it in our system and do not have any option to do so. Looks like they are still in the pilot phase of testing so probably a few years before it becomes available commercially.

 

[wyliec]

This is the link I've been looking for:

https://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-late-in-life-diagnosis

I like this link based on what they said: "When you and your doctor discuss diagnosis and treatment options, the focus should not only be on your chronologic age -- the number of years you’ve been alive -- but on what’s called your biologic age."

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

This is the link I've been looking for:

https://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/prostate-cancer-late-in-life-diagnosis

I like this link based on what they said: "When you and your doctor discuss diagnosis and treatment options, the focus should not only be on your chronologic age -- the number of years you’ve been alive -- but on what’s called your biologic age."

Very interesting. I think it would be reasonable to say calendar age is a good indicator of our probable biological age, but it sure isn't an absolute indicator.

This quote from the article highlights the reason the value of screening and treatment are so doubtful.

A 2008 study looked at more than 200,000 men with prostate cancer from ages 65 to 84. The researchers found that only men with the most advanced cases of prostate cancer were more likely to die of their cancer than another cause. Men in the study had a much greater chance of dying of heart failure than from late-stage prostate cancer.

If you’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should have a thorough discussion about the risks and benefits of watchful waiting or active surveillance with your doctor.