Thanks Devasted and others - my details are below.
Had to sign off last night to watch the rest of the ALSC. Since Detroit beat my Yanks, I'm rooting for Texas.
Since I already had surgery, there are no PC cells to harvest, so I wonder if I'm too late for Provenge. I see my oncologist in two weeks and will explore with him, but I'm heartend to hear that it might actually work to extend lives for at least a little
Haven't told my daughters yet about the reoccurence and the projected life span (3-5 years if they can't slow this sucker down). Anyway, I'm coming up to my next PSA in two weeks. Funny how I seem to almost forget my issues until I see that blood test date appear on my calendar and then, it all come crashing back.
I did the rounds this past summer seeing oncologists at Sloan, Johns Hopkins, Cornell and Columbia. They all basically told me the same thing, but I have decided to go with a team at Columbia because a) they at least offered me a positive attitude (I found Hopkins to be completely overrated and frankly depressing, its a wonder I just didn't take a bunch of pills and get this over with right now), 2) the Columbia oncologist works with a team of urologists who make holistic treatment a part of their treatment plan --- have lost 20 pounds in the last 6 months, am in great physical condition 3) my oncologist is pretty well know nationally and does have rights to use the most advanced treatments.
Looking at HT next fall if the doubling time does not slow, Meanwhile I'm off red meat, cows milk, and a lot of other bad stuff. Eat only whole wheat breads and pasta, chicken and fish and vegetables. Drink lots of green tea and am FORCED to drink a glass of Pinot Noir every night (resveratol, look it up). Take 6 different supplements a day (18 pills) of various organic supplements. Its an interesting approach, especially if it works!, We'll see. Columbia is a pioneer in this and you can check it out on the web if you like - Look for Drs. Katzs and Cheetham. They also do a weekly radio program Sunday mornings.
Biggest regret for me is that I started getting my PSA done when I was 40. I now know that my PSA started rising (about a 50% increase every two years) when I was 42 but my PCP never bothered to tell me (or more likely never bother to read the results). His defense now is that I did not break the magic 4.0 mark, so even though it was rising consistently, it wasn't a concern. He didn't even bother to tell me in 2007 that it was 3.99. 3.99 is, after all, not 4.0. By the time I had it done in 2009, it was 9.7 and I was sympomatic. So to the Govt panel that doesn't want us to test for PSA, you know what my reaction is
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CURRENT AGE- 51
DIAGNOSIS=49 YEARS
GLEASON=4+3
NO FAMILIY HISTORY OF PC
MARRIED WITH TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS, 14 AND 16.
ROBOTIC RADICAL PROSTECTOMY 10/09- CORNELL PRESBYTERIAN
PATHOLOGY - EXTRAPROASTIC, POSITIVE MARGIN, NEGATIVE LYMPH, NEGATIVE SEMINAL VESICALES. STAGE 3A
PSA RISING AFTER SURGERY - 8 WEEKS OF RADIATION COMPLETED APRIL 2010
PSA STABLE TO TRENDING LOWER UNTIL DECEMBER 2010, RISING RAPIDILY SINCE THEN, CURRENTLY AT .55, DOUBLING TIME 3 MONTHS