I have been diagnosed with severe Prostate Cancer. I will find out later this week what, if anything, can be done. Sigh.
I have been diagnosed with severe Prostate Cancer. I will find out later this week what, if anything, can be done. Sigh.
Just consider, mostly you don't die OF prostate cancer, you die WITH it.
As yet, I'm free of it, but high risk - my father died with it, both my brothers have it, me - so far, just a mildly enlarged prostate.
Besy of luck.
Just consider, mostly you don't die OF prostate cancer, you die WITH it.
Mostly. I personally knew 2 people that died from Prostate cancer.
Unfortunately, both were diagnosed late so it was well advanced and beyond treatment.
My best wishes to Tamalain and i hope for a good prognosis.
My best wishes to Tamalain and i hope for a good prognosis.
Ditto. I hope the cancer is still contained within the prostate.
AJ
I personally have known a number of men who died of metastatic prostate cancer. Saying that men don't frequently die of it is like saying women don't die of breast cancer.
Sadly, one reason why men so many men die from it is because they're SO resistant to even being tested! If they did, then they'd at least have a chance of surviving it, as establishing your personal risk factor is a necessary component of surviving. Women aren't nearly as reluctant to colon cancer screenings as men are either. Whereas women have such a high breast cancer fatality rate, is because the tests are only valid for certain types of women. As those with dense breast tissue are almost NEVER detected, as there's absolutely no valid reason for that.
We have the technology for that, it's just that no hospital wants to invest the money to save THOSE lives.
Just consider, mostly you don't die OF prostate cancer, you die WITH it.
I hope this doesn't upset anyone since this can be a very uncomfortable subject but, in the UK, I remember the government changed the cancer reporting strategy on death certificates a couple of decades or so ago because it was grossly under-reported. Basically people don't 'die' of cancer but some form of consequential organ failure.
I sincerely hope it doesn't come to that and Tamalain is around for many years to come to entertain us with his storytelling.
AJ
Yeah, my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer and subsequently had a foot of her colon removed. Yet she's 94 and still going. She can't hear worth a damn, but …
However, prostate cancer has very significant ramifications, and I can relate. Yet, most of us guys reach that stage at one point or another anyway. It ain't the end of the world, for most of us, it's inevitable. If caught relatively early, the death rate isn't that serious. IF it's caught early. But 'severe' is a horrifying medical adjective.
Still, knowing it better than not knowing, as then, you may not go easily, yet you can at least help make peace with your friends and family. I've last a LOT of friends over the years, and know just how valuable that can be, as in their case, not knowing is much worse.
I'm glad your dear mom has survived her colon cancer, CW. I don't want to diminish what she or your family went through during that experience (we went through it with my mom) but I want to apologize for giggling at your first paragraph. Your mom had a foot of her colon removed and now she can't hear?
Well, she's obviously on her last legs now, as her cognition is way off and she can no longer process words (symptomatic of stroke victims, which is always a distinct possibility, yet she no longer has the strength to continue. It happens, and she's still quite active (i.e. still driving on errands) yet the writing is on the way, and now she's 'sleeping' most of the day, no longer having the stamina to stay awake for long.
Again, it's an inevitable end, and as she wants to enjoy her independence as long a possibly, I'm not about to rob her of that, as if I did, she'd only go that much sooner. She's till going, and it's better to life your best life, rather than holding on as that life is itself slipping away.
And, that'll likely be me one day not too long from now. Though again, that side of the family were always long lived, as when everyone else was dying in their forties and fifties, they'd typically live into sixties and seventies. My father's side, they'd mostly burned bright and died early.
That said, she's NEVER had any other residual colon issues. Again, she comes from sturdy breed. ;)
And don't worry about sending the wrong message, as there's no way of known what you can't know. So it never bothered me, yet is nice to fill in a few details in those situations.
My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer. After having it removed, 20 years later he died of liver cancer at the age of 85. Good luck, I seriously hope you have a good doctor.
Best wishes. I strongly suggest you consult with more than one physician about the prognosis. If the cancer has not spread and a RP is suggested, don't panic about the aftermath. There are too many false fears spread about post-surgical impotence and incontinence. Both can be resolved.
My brother-in-law went through that a few years ago and is, thankfully, healthy now. A former coworker is dealing with a kind of cancer at the moment (I forget which one), and he's still running the Boston Marathon today (because he doesn't have enough on his plate...)
I much rather deal with the weird neuro stuff I'm currently dealing with than any kind of cancer.
You've got this!
The Outsider
I just heard on the radio 📻 a 2025 study about Cancer outcomes is better than many experts had expected.
Due to government shutdowns in 2020 (and beyond); as well as personal concerns and other issues, there was an extremely concerning decrease in Cancer screenings.
However, by 2021 in many states, and continuing return to normality (at least for Cancer screenings), Cancer screening is back to pre-Covid-19 levels.
Even better. Outcomes for people diagnosed with Cancer are statistically better than they were in 2018.
A close friend is now a 3 Year Survivor of Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer.
So, Tamalain, prayers and wishes of good luck, and many decades of continuing to post here on SoL.
Conversely, in most cases, the fewer aggressive medical treatments, the better the outcomes. Which is exemplified by those who've already given up and are fully prepared to die, and living much longer.
Sometimes it's better to just live the live you have than fighting the inevitable. Despite being a non-believer, it's another case of "Let go and let God," as simply giving up your biggest stressors will inevitably lead to better outcomes, as you end you life on your terms, and no one else's.
And I've known a LOT of people with serious cancer histories, and for all of them who stepped back, they lived much longer than those who fought it the most, sometimes several decades longer.
The worst case of this is my ex-brother-in-law, who worked in the VA system, and thus got the best treatments, yet even now, as he's circling the drain, refuses to NOT accepted the most aggressive treatments. It's sad to see, you there's no convincing someone who's unable to see the truth.
For you guys reading this, there is a very easy blood test for prostate cancer. It is the PSA Prostate Specific Antigen. With my family history, I get it every year and sometimes twice between my primary doctor and my urologist. I have been getting it done ever since I turned 40.
I wasn't referring to the Antigen test, but for the early, basic prostate tests, to see whether you have an issue or not. You only get the more advanced test to tell IF you have that specific issue.
Not every cancer is deadly, but some are much more deadly than others, so you start with the simpler tests, only invoking the more expensive and/or invasive tests if they're justified.
The PSA test is often not a good predictor. Personally, I had a PSA>2 and a Gleason score of 8. The MD found it the old fashioned way.
At 78, I am still getting readings of 3.0-3.2. My urologist says that for my age anything over 5.0 should get a digital follow up. For anyone under 50, he says they should follow up if they get a reading over 2.5.
The PSA test is often not a good predictor.
That's true, but it's relatively cheap compared to the gold standard (which includes an MRI scan), so poor countries like the UK are belatedly starting to push it.
Allegedly there's a saliva test, far more accurate than PSA, only a few years away.
AJ
In my case, it was a digital exam.
The real problem is that reliance on a low PSA score can lead to a false sense of security.
If the same resources were devoted to prostate cancer as to breast cancer, yearly radiology exams would be standard.
In my case, it was a digital exam.
My understanding is that digital exams aren't too wonderful either, so it was good that ome found the problem. And I hope that problem is now in remission.
AJ
Had an RP a month after it was found.
I later found out that the combination of low PSA/high Gleason score has a low chance of survival, so I guess I was lucky my wife forced me to get a physical. Never have any sign of metastasis and continual 0 PSA.
It took about six months for everything to start working well again.
Actually the worst part was the biopsy: shoving a gun in my ass and pulling the trigger 12 times.
Never have any sign of metastatisis and continual 0 PSA.
Excellent.
I hope Tamalain's outcome is equally successful.
AJ
In my case, it was a digital exam
vs the Anal-Log one?
(sorry.. was compelled to introduce a little levity..)
There is, but those who are prone to one type of cancer, are also prone to other, unrelated cancers too. It's all about their immune system and blood flow, as cancers thrive when they're best fed with fresh blood—though the predominance of certain families of cancers (i.e. central body cancers, often nearer the major arteries) tend to have multiple types of cancers too.
I guess I can join in the suckage.
Last week I was having trouble swallowing. Eventually had to go the ER and a CT scan revealed a growth on the esophagus and lesions on my liver. An endoscopy confirmed the cancer. Chemo starts on Thursday but the prognosis for any long term survival isn't good.
The MD after seeing the pathology report told my wife and me to have some champagne and celebrate. He, and my wife's oncologist, seem very optimistic.
Had my first chemo and will see how it goes.