Alexander
Mackenzie, who with wife Sharon lives in New Hampshire, USA was diagnosed on
15 July 1999 at age 55. His PSA was 8.9, Gleason 3+3 6. He made his decision
as follows:
"I
have discussed my options with the Oncologist, who recommended the radical prostatectomy;
the local Radiologist; who recommended the permanent seed implant, which means
hormones for 3 months, and after the implant, I would have 3 more months plus
5 weeks of low-dose radiotherapy. Due to the Gleason of 6 his next recommendation
was the seeds. (Brachytherapy) If the Gleason had been 7, he would recommend the
High Dose that I wanted. As I pointed out that the Gleason was subjective in the
eye of the beholder, 6 was as good as a 7 in my mind, and I wanted the better
after life of the High Dose Brachytherapy treatment. I will be going in for preliminaries
in late August, and in mid-October have the seeding. Will use this format to keep
all informed."
|Update
- 20 March 2000]
Age
now 56; current PSA 1.6; current treatment: I have just completed HDB & External
Beam Radiation Therapy. I just had my first PSA since my treatments finished.
My Radiation Doctor said he was expecting a 50% reduction which would have been
4.5. But instead I had a PSA of 1.6 which is very good for the first (3-month)
PSA. In the next 6 months he expects it to drop below 0.05.
|Update 8
September 2000|
Hello,
I
am now 57 years old and my current PSA is 0.9. I have just got the results from
my second blood test. The first, three months after treatments were completed
had dropped from 8.9 to 1.6, and this one, now 9 months after treatments have
stopped is 0.9. I feel quite well, and have no discomforts from the treatments.
My sex life has taken a downturn, but other medications may be the cause (heart
condition). At this time I am still happy with the choice I made.
|Update 5
July 2001| Age now 57; current PSA 1.2; current treatment: Follow up PSA's.
I had my 18 month PSA, it is holding in the 0.9 - 1.4 range. I have had no discomfort
from the treatments since the tiredness from the ExternalBbeam Radiation treatments
went away about a year ago. Love life took another hit, as problems existed from
heart medications prior to the HDR treatments. But given the choices of treatments
at the time, I am not unhappy with the results.
|Update
14 October 2001|Current Age 57. Current PSA 0.9 - 1.2 (steady). Current Treatment
PSA tests each 6 months. Initial treatment Brachytherapy, High dose Radiation
I have been maintaining a steady 0.9/1.2 PSA'S since finishing my treatments.
(HDB and external beam radiation). I have had the pleasure of sending information
to 4 others that have found themselves in my earlier circumstances. I tell all
not to rush to any judgements. I am comfortable with the path I chose, and would
do so again. But everyone should learn about all the latest treatments, which
are improving all the time.
|Update
18 May 2002|Current Age 58
Just had my latest PSA, came in at 1.3. It has been 2 1/2 years since my treatments
began and all is going well. I am going in the 17th of May for my next PSA. Will
send the latest at that time.
|Update
15 December 2002|
Alexander
is now 59 with a PSA of 1.3. His current treatment is checking his PSA check,
follow-up exams
Have just (Friday the 13th even) completed my appointment
with my Rad. oncologist. PSA and physical check. All is well. PSA is steady. As
a result, my check-ups are now to be a year apart from what had been each 6 months.
So I have progressed from treatment, to 3 months check-ups, 6 months check-ups,
and now yearly. Feel good. Still satisified with my choice of treatment.
|Update
15 August 2004|
Maybe
it's a Friday 13th that jogs Alex's memory to update his story. Here is the latest
snippet just days after another Friday 13:
I
am turning 61 the 21st of this month (August). My treatment
has kept me healthy from 1999 till now 2004. Feel well, and would still feel I
made the right choice, for me. I have
recently retired from work, and am enjoying the freedom
|Update
- 24 March 2005]
Hello
again, it has been a year since last I was here. I have had my physical, and find
my PSA has lowered from a year ago (now 1.0 ng/ml). A good feeling. I haven't
been sorry about my treatment choice, and would do the same again.
|Update
- 24 March 2006]
Just
had my yearly physical. The slight rise in my PSA to 1.9 ng/ml had caused my doctor
to want me to return in 6 months, not a year. He believes it is a normal fluctuation,
but also feels, as it has been almost 7 years since my original treatment, caution
is the best policy. I agree. Will be back with whatever results occur in 6 months.
|Update
- October 2006]
Had
my 6 month follow-up. Not too happy as it went up 0.8 ng/ml to 2.7 ng/ml. Will
do another 6 month appointment follow up, and see if I need to be concerned. The
doctor says it may well be a normal fluctuation, I do hope he is right. Will keep
all updated.
|Update
- April 2007]
Had
a 6 months check-up. My PSA has gone up from 2.7 ng/ml to 3.4 ng/ml. An appointment
has been set up with a oncologist to talk about the possible use of hormones.
Will
keep this site updated as decisions are made, options put forth.
|Update
- November 2007]
Have had my latest appt. and my PSA has continued to creep up. It is 5.0 ng/ml.
Seems something is still there, but as the prostate is hardened from treatments,
it would be hard to locate any location for what is raising the PSA. So my doctor
has advised waiting until the PSA reaches some as yet undetermined level (of my
choosing) and starting hormones.
|Update
- April 2008]
Just
had a 3 month PSA, it is now 5.6, moving up. At 10, I will start hormones. I feel
very good, and actually, always have in this regard. The treatments are the only
time I have not felt so good, but of course, no treatments may have caused me
to feel real bad. One cannot ever be sure with whatever treatment one chooses.
All increase one odds of living longer. None are 100% yet. Maybe someday soon
one will be.
Alex's
e mail address is : almknz@metrocast.net
