Prostate Cancer :: A Rise In PSA After Proton Treatment


Nov 13, 2013

I received my PSA blood test score today of 1.5. This is 14 months after Proton Treatment at Loma Linda. My Gleason score was 4+3 seven. My highest PSA pre treatment was 8.0

I had great numbers my first two tests.

!.3 after three months and six months later it was 0.50 in July of this year. I was not planning another PSA test until January but my GP did one as part of a normal physical. Was expecting a number lower than 0.50.

Appreciate any feedback. I know its the trend that counts, not one individual test but still it is disconcerting to not see a drop and even more disconcerting to see this significant an increase.

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Prostate Cancer :: Over Treatment

I have just been copied in on a letter from the Consultant Urologist to my GP giving an update on the appointment I attended following an MRI.

it says:- "Mr "Sailor Sam" was reviewed today. He is a known case of prostate cancer on active surveillance. His PSA has been slowly creeping up suggesting that he is progressing on a biochemical level. In view of this , radical treatment was discussed but "Sailor Sam" is not keen on this for fear of side-effects. His preference is to continue with active surveillance and therefore he will be seen in clinic in 3 months time"

Now on the letter it says Diagnosis:- Gleason 6 adenocarcinoma of the prostate diagnosed in 2012. Latest PSA 3.3

MRI Scan shows T2 N0 - prostate cancer in 43cc prostate gland.

Staging is small volume. A small low signal foucs at the junction of peripheral and transitional zones on the left lateral aspect at the base does show restricted diffusion and is likely to represent a small focus of prostate carcinoma. It is organ defined. No further focus suspicious for prostate carinoma. The seminal vesicles show normal appearance.

The MDT 17.9.15 concensus of opinion - OFFER RADICAL TREATMENT.

So what I would like to hear is what people think about this? My Psa resutls have been May 2013 2.4

                                Aug 2013 1.5

                                Mar 2014  1.7

                                Aug 2014 1.7

                                Jul  2015 3.2

                                Sep 201 3.3

I know there are some very knowledgeable people on this site but am I missing something? Offering radical treatment to a 52 year old man with this history? Is that right? I am a Mental Health Nurse myself and work as part of a Multi-Disciplinary Team which is why I am having trouble coming to terms with their conclusion. 

Could I ask for the MDT decision to be reviewed by a different MDT? would it make a difference?

Or are they the "experts" who arrive at this decision following a certain protocol. Not sure if there are any NICE guidelines for offering treatment for example.

I know I will need treatment and I recognise we are lucky that we live in a society that has a health service that can help us so much, but is this a case of over-treatment which I've come to hear more and more about

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I'm a 20 year old male.

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> After a faltering start I settled into three or so mild hot flushes a day with some at night.

> The worst part for me is that shortly after the onset of a flush my memory is impaired and logical thought becomes confused. I could live with the fuzzy feeling in my head if that was all. This impairment lasts about one hour after the flush subsides. So I cannot do much sensible work or play the piano without making a hash of it and frequently forgetting how to continue the piece I am playing.

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> I found that stress, warming exercise excluded, frequently brings on a flush. 

DISCOVERY or just something I had missed.

> I have found that if during a flush if I do some exercise that I know from experience will be enough to warm me, when I stop I cool down normally and so cut short the flush. (I must cool down. If I stay warm the flush takes off again within a few minutes.) My flushes normally last about 90 minutes. For me the effective exercising is

>> six  times rapidly up and down stairs.

>> five minutes brisk walking

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The only mention of weight loss is in connection with other symptoms such as loss of appetite due to sickness, bone pain etc in more advanced cancer.  So far he hasn’t had any of those and his only symptoms, apart from a few hot flushes, are an increased need to pee and taking longer to do so.  He hasn’t been on a strict diet and, although he’s been more careful in what he eats for several years, he hasn’t been able to shift much weight until now.  He still has a healthy appetite.

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