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Posted 6/7/2010 12:11 AM (GMT -5)
your right logosidat... i dont know why i like that .04 maybe wishful thinking... thanks for reminding me

 

Posted 6/9/2010 7:16 PM (GMT -5)
Found my Path report have edited my profile signature can any one make sense of it :) day 12 of 37 today so far not serious effects
cant find good info on the tnm scores first was t1c post op t2c any ideas ?
Posted 6/10/2010 2:01 AM (GMT -5)
TX: cannot evaluate the primary tumor
T0: no evidence of tumor
T1: tumor present
T1a: tumor was found in less than 5% of prostate tissue resected (for other reasons)
T1b: tumor was found in greater than 5% of prostate tissue resected
T1c: tumor was found in a needle biopsy performed due to an elevated PSA
T2: the tumor can be felt on DRE examination, but has not spread outside the prostate
T2a: the tumor is in half or less than half of one of the prostate gland's two lobes
T2b: the tumor is in more than half of one lobe, but not both
T2c: the tumor is in both lobes
T3: the tumor has spread through the prostatic capsule (if only partially, it is still T2)
T3a: the tumor has spread through the capsule on one/both sides
T3b: the tumor has invaded one/both seminal vesicles
T4: the tumor has invaded other nearby structures

NX: cannot evaluate the regional lymph nodes
N0: there is no known spread to the regional lymph nodes
N1: there has been spread to the regional lymph nodes

MX: cannot evaluate distant metastasis
M0: there is no known distant metastasis
M1: there is distant metastasis
M1a: the cancer has spread to lymph nodes beyond the regional ones
M1b: the cancer has spread to bone
M1c: the cancer has spread to other sites (does not consider bone involvement)

Post Edited (142) : 6/10/2010 8:00:40 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/9/2010 11:15 PM (GMT -5)
wow thanks 142. That has answered most of my questions plus some I didnt have.... Very much appreciated
Posted 6/10/2010 9:01 AM (GMT -5)
Don't remember where I found the original list, but I had the same questions, and spent a day or more looking for something comprehensible.
This is a combination of the original chart I found with data from a chart from a book that is actually the TMN grading guide (don't have the title at hand, but they reissue it often). The book has a scale for each cancer. I did this so my family would understand what it meant.
Posted 6/10/2010 8:49 PM (GMT -5)
Well i do appreciate the information. now i have a chance to have the data i need to see what my survival rating is for the salvage radiation therepy im under going now. I was dissapoionted in the surgery results but then it is cancer and it shows no mercy. Im hoping SRT will give me a life expetancy of at least 10 years before going through another battle .. However from what I see so far researching it looks like maybe a good chance of at least 5 years. The only thing i could find said 84 percent for the 5 and and maybe 54 percent for 10... Only information i seem to find is from late 90's or early 2000's ' as current studies are still in process... But with all the new stuff happening i feel more confident. I see great strides from talking to other cancer victims at the treatment center about chemo not being as bad as it used to be. I met a lady doong chemo and she even still had her hair and was able to be up and about just a few hours after treatment with little to no major side effects. I am still hoping the SRT will save me from chemo though... Again thanks for all you have helpe me with so far
Posted 6/14/2010 11:10 PM (GMT -5)

Well I have made it into the 4th week of my therepy... almost half way through...

I have started to have some problems with bowels... I had hemmoroids when this started so I know radiation hasnt cause them however i seem to be having major difficulty with them working properly. I have to go about 5 times a day and they dont seem to empty well when I go. Extreme burning effect on the hems and difficulty passing. No bleeding but am going to discuss it with doctor on Wed my weekly meeting with him. I am using prep-H and it helps but hate going to the bathroom now :0 Ive also noticed having to urinate more frequently now too with some times not fully emptying. I assume this is norrmal as doctor said these are some things i might experience.

I hope it passes soon. Other than that no significant things to report. Im am surprised that it has gone this well... Hope when it is over these symptoms if still happening will go away. Thanks for keeping me advised...

Posted 6/19/2010 7:20 PM (GMT -5)

ok things are getting sort of out of hand. I had hemmoriods before I started the Radiationl. Doctor explained that i would probably have some bowel irratation and some bladder irratation. The Bladder is pretty well what he said would happen a burning sensation with feelings of needing to urinate and nothing happening or very slight urine. I can live with that. BUT the hemmeroids on the other hand are out of control. I told Doctor what im about to say now. When I have a bowel movement it is not normal. My stools are small and have to go severl times over hours and still do not seem to be fully empty... Feel bloated all the time and some times it comes on so fast I cant make it to the toilet. So now ive pretty well confined to my house or wear a depends if i need to go out...AND the hemmoriods feel like im on fire.. Pain is so intense sometimes I almost feel like I want to pass out. Doctor said to try Prep H cream... I am using it now and it does help between bowel movement to cool off the fire. BUT does no help to the during the bowel movement process. It is making me sick at my stomach and nausea at times... As well as the pain in movement.  My stools are not hard or large ( actuuall quiet small over what used to be normal). I bought some Prep h suppositores but reading the indications its says not to use if I have heart problems high blood pressure thyroid problems. I take metoporol for hight blood pressure, synthroid for tyroid ( under control well) blood pressure still at stage 1 and normal levels. I have 2 stints in my heart for last 5 years. No problems and i take 81mg asprin regime as well as simvastatin for cholestrol control. Meds are working good so far.  I dont think they will do a hemmoriodectomy while im in radiation therepy. Oh the hemoriods do not are vary rarely bleed.  So bleeding is not the p roblem. Just set me on FIRE and make it hard to fully pass the stools. If any of you have had a similar experience and found a solultion I would greatly appreciate it. I know we dont like to talk about Hemmoriods but would appreciate any suggestions or advice... the doctor seems to be stuck on responding to me about it except to say this is common with radtiation. I do not have a prostate so they are radiating the prostate bed and I understand some intestinal and bladder wil be effected till the end of treatment and for a while after.... I was scheduled for3 34 - 37 treatments and have completed 19 so am halfw way trough... I hope this situation wont stop the treatment as im not to interested in the others yet if radiation fails ...

thanks all

Posted 6/19/2010 8:00 PM (GMT -5)
Telstar,

That was a hard post to read, brother. I can't offer a word of advice, but I truly feel for you. For all those men that "breeze" through radiation without side effects or issues, there are plenty of us that have problems with it. Will be thankful when you get through the rest of it, unfortunately, not a process that one can quit mid stream, and I know you are not suggesting that. When I agreed to salvage radiation, I knew from past experience, I was going to bein a world of problems, and I have been, and still am, but its all for the hopes of getting a "cure" after my own failed surgery.

Wish you the best, and again, hope your particular problems can resolve itself soon, thats a rough path for sure.

David in SC
Posted 6/19/2010 8:06 PM (GMT -5)
Thanks Purgatory, Yes it is a pain and we all hope for a cure... I wil get throughg it if i dont kill the doctor :) It has become a challenge and I not ready to throw in the towel. But when its over and im stable these hems are going to meet thier maker :)
Thanks for the reply
Posted 6/19/2010 8:10 PM (GMT -5)
Honestly never have dealt with "h"'s in my life. Guess fortunate there, but from those that do suffer, I couldn't beging to imagine how SRT must be effecting the area. Even a full 6 months post radiation, I still get some bowel urgency. Not every day, seems to come and go in spells, but boy, it can make one nervous if you are not close to a crapper. I have learned that if I even think I need to go, I find a toiliet immediately, not wait and hope that it passes.

Enjoy your weekend break from radiation, I know I sure did.

David in SC
Posted 6/19/2010 8:29 PM (GMT -5)
Telstar,

I also suffer the 'roids for the last 5 years or so, and my bleeding/itching/pain started not much more than two weeks in. The doc instisted on Prep H being sufficient, amd I tried, but it was not.

I had colo-rectal surgery about 5 years ago, the 'roids went haywire, and the doc gave me Analpram HC 2.5%. It is Hydrocortisone Acetate 2.5% / Pramoxine HCL 1%. Incredibly potent stuff, and worked wonders. For this latest bout, I insisted, and the doc gave me an Rx. Night and Day. It isn't cheap ($80+ for a one oz. tube these days), but it works for me. You might ask the doc.

Just my experience, no MD in this house.

And whoever warned me "don't fart" was right.

Post Edited (142) : 6/20/2010 9:41:48 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/19/2010 10:10 PM (GMT -5)
I had proctitis starting about treatment 10 and slowly getting worse. At first it was just a rumbling belly, then rather explosive BMs multiple times a day, then right at the end of treatment, when I had a BM it felt like I was passing bits of broken brick. I had to take a towel into the bathroom to bite on to avoid..vocalizing. At first I thought it was "h"s since I'm blessed in that way, too, and I made the mistake of going to my primary care doc first, who, being a diligent man, gave me a rectal exam. It was very painful. It was not "h"s, but radiation proctitis. He prescribed oral prednisone first, which did nothing (but it was a low dose) and then a topical foam called Proctofoam. The foam was comfortable to apply, worked immediately, and really relieved my symptoms.
I then went to my radiation doc, who said I should have gone to him first, as he would not have examined me like that, but would have gone straight to the Proctofoam.
Proctofoam has a topical anesthetic, Praxomine (same as you find in Tucks ointment) plus a corticosteroid to reverse the inflammation. It's delivered in a sort of sticky foam that does a good job of going to the irritated area and staying there. I used it in the morning, at night, and after every BM. It was a miracle, and I wished I had started it earlier. Worked like a fire extinguisher. You cannot use it more than a few months, because of its steroidal nature, but for me that was plenty of time.
Hoping you get some relief soon...
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