New PC diagnosis

It would be helpful to post your full diagnosis, number of cores, location, PSA rise, etc...

Your options are not limited to those two treatments. Slow down and get into the research mode. The urologist providing the bad news will almost always recommend surgery.

Think best shot at a cure, with the least long term side effects, prior to agreeing to any one treatment. Once in, there is no going back

Welcome to HW.

Slow way down. Do some research, get some second opinions, learn about this PC thing.

PC is a slow growing cancer and you've got plenty of time to make an informed decision. There are far more options available to you.

First deal with the emotional shock - it's like getting a kick in the head. Take some time.

Andrew

Doug,

Looks like we are similar in age and diagnosis. As others have said, take some time to understand what the diagnosis is and what your options are for treatment (or surveillance).

Yes, the diagnosis is a big hit and takes some time to absorb. There is a lot of information on-line that was very helpful, including this forum.

Best of luck to you as you learn and make decisions.

Remember, we are all different and we have to make our own final choice on what is best for us, for our family and for our own personal situations and locations.

Hi Doug and welcome to the forum. You have already received some great advice. Yes...it's a shock but you have multiple options that can cure your cancer. You should get educated on our disease and talk with specialists in LDR Brachy, HDR Brachy and SBRT before simply deciding between surgery and HIFU. You get one chance to do this right the first time...

Jim

Hi, Doug, and as the others have said, welcome. . . but we're sorry you have to be here.

You've gotten more good advice here, I'm afraid, than you have from your doctor. I'm not sure what to suggest beyond what the others have said -- slow WAY down, tell us more about your biopsy report (not only the Gleason score, but also extent of the cancer, etc.) and where you are located.

I'm surprised that a doctor is suggesting only surgery or HIFU, unless those are the only treatments he personally can offer. With a G 3+4=7 diagnosis it would seem that you have many options. So many options, in fact, that it may seem overwhelming to decide on one for yourself. I know -- I'm relatively new to this myself (diagnoses last July) and also was graded G 3+4=7. I spent over 3 months learning and deciding upon a course of treatment, then took almost another month to even start the treatment. I was diagnosed in early July and finished radiation treatment in late November. Most PCa is so slow growing that we have that much time (or even more) to decide, and as the others have said, you may even qualify for one of the Active Surveillance protocols.

Take the time to learn, discern and decide on the best treatment for yourself. You only get to choose primary therapy once, and you owe it to yourself to get it right.

Doug,
Welcome, you already got some great advice, more to follow. Stick with us, this is a very supportive forum.
Read the "sticky" threads at the top of our page. Also, find the search box at the top, just below the box "Join Healing Well." Type in the phrase "letters to the newly Diagnosed", and you will find some very inspirational assistance there.
Take care ,and keep the faith!
Wings aka Dan in so Cal;

Your PSA and G score were similar to mine. I was 8 years older and was aware of my PSA history, but only after I was my own advocate. If you could share your last 2 or 3 PSAs that would be helpful as others have suggested. Remember that urologists are experts on "surgery", and ROs are experts in their types of therapies; SBRT, LDR BT, and HDR BT. Please take the time to talk to all of them and be sure you ask their long-term (15 years or more) survival rates. Also do the research on SEs and see if they verify your due diligence!

All of these choices offer fairly equal cure rates but you will see differences in long-term SEs. Know that everyone will back your decision. That said take the time suggested to make the decision that will affect the rest of your life. Best wishes and keep us posted.

Surgery does give you the advantage of a definitive pathology...you'll also know quickly if it's successful, where treatments like radiation do take a while to lower your PSA. (I don't know much about HIFU.) But modern radiation techniques generally have less onerous SEs than surgery. If you're apprehensive about radiation, I'd look to talk to some good ROs and see if they can address your concerns. With your diagnosis, any of the treatments have an excellent chance of curing you--I'd be focusing on what's the best PCa knock-out punch for you.

Just a note to offer my support and 2 cents. I'm almost the same age as you - the shock does take a while to get over but things generally get better as time goes on. In my case, the disease has even resulted my in a better appreciation of the things that matter. I started with active surveillance but chose the robotic surgery after my Gleason changed from 6 to 7. I am quite happy with the results but some men are also happy with radiation. Like you, I have an instinctive distrust of radiation - something that admittedly may not be logical. I do like that can have the comfort of undetectable PSAs after surgery. I talked over HIFU with my surgeon and decided against it. Mind you part of the reason is that HIFU is not fully accepted in Canada and therefore not covered by medical coverage. It could by that your cancer is too multi-focal to be a good candidate for HIFU as I'm of the impression that it works best if the cancer is more isolated. Anyway, best of luck to you regardless of the treatment path you choose.