Harry
Novak and Dorothy live in Arizona, USA. Harry was 58 when he was diagnosed on
2 March 2005. His initial PSA was 4.0 ng/ml, his Gleason Score was 6. He was staged
T2b. He has not yet decided on a treatment.
Here
is his story:
I
have had prostate pain and a hard calcified nodule for 15 years. I had a biopsy
about 10 years ago and that was fine. My PSA never went above 4.0 ng/ml and in
fact just recently dropped to 2.5 ng/ml, but my Free PSA was 11% which is not
good for my age.
Eight biopsies were taken on Feb 24, 2005. Six were
cancerous and two were on there way to becoming cancerous.
I had a bone
scan done March 4, 2005 which appears clear. A pelvic MRI is scheduled for March
7, 2005 and then a visit with my urological surgeon.
I am undecided whether
to have the radial seed implant or the surgery, but that may be determined for
me as I move forward in this process.
PSA-2.5
ng/ml, Free PSA-9.6% Stage-T2b Bone Scan & MRI clean
It
appears the cancer cells are restricted to the prostate.
I
listened to the surgeon's story and didn't care for all the possible problems
after being cut. I go to another surgeon on his team next week to listen to his
story for a second opinion.
Then
in three weeks I have an appointment with a top radiation oncologist who was used
by one of your other members who I e-mailed.
After
reading several books and studies, it doesn't look like we live any longer by
doing the surgery or radiation. Can anyone recommend any nutritional books in
fighting this?
I
am in great shape for 58 yrs old. I play tennis everyday, ping pong for hours,
take long hikes with my dogs, bike, etc. I am 5' 10 & 155 lbs, so I've always
watched my diet, so I keep in great shape.
I'm
over the shock of cancer & have accepted that I am a member of a large fraternity.
Had
a second opinion today by another surgeon team and they told me that my Gleason
was misread.
It
is really seven not six and that I should have the surgery as the seed implants
will not kill the portion that is 70% cancerous.
I
have an appointment at the end of March with a top seed radiation guy and a surgeon
who has done over a 1,000 surgeries and then I'll make my decision.
Can't
do anything til mid April when my prostate will be healed from the biopsies.
March
25, Scottsdale, Az
The
doctor I met with has done only 40 Radical Prostatectomies with the DaVinci Robot,
but his partner has done over 100. He has done several hundred laparoscopic procedures
without the DaVinci.
He also confirmed my Gleason 7 and the severest part of my tumor is sitting on
one bundle of nerves that would have to be removed casuing the liklihood of impotency.
He mentioned the nerve graft operation where they take a nerve from your foot
and implant it. [Note from webmaster - this is known as
a sural graft. Reported results are patchy]Doesn't sound appealing to increase
my chances of an erection by 10%.
Monday I meet with a seed and radiation guy who has done over 1000 brachy-therapies
and we'll see what he says.
The surgeon also suggested I see his radiation guy before making a decision.
Question: Does the nerve sparing procedure only involve erectile functioning?
[Note from webmaster - yes]
What is the name of this computer data bank of patients where the doctor put in
my PSA, Gleason and Staging (which he changed to T2A and told me my chances of
recurrence, etc.) [Note from webmaster. This is most likely
the Partin's Tables, although there are others. More information is available
at the YANA page labelled Diagnosis]The
numbers were not encouraging. He said I had a 67% chance of the cancer coming
back. Then why do the surgery. It was very confusing and bewildering.
He said he felt the tumor bulging out and although my basic MRI was clean, he
guessed that when operating they would find my margins have cancer. That was not
comforting to hear.
I notice if you don't take notes and write fast, the docs don't give you anything
in writing. A matrix of your choices and chances sure would help with all the
statistics they throw at you, like likliehood of incontinence, ED, recurrence
over one year, five years, ten years.
LATER:
After
visiting with the radiation oncologist today I signed up for the seed implant.
I'll know tomorrow whether it will be supplemented by some external beam radiation.
I have volunteered to be part of a clinical trial to help other men.
LATER
STILL:
I
have volunteered for an NIH study to see if radiation beam prior to brachytherapy
is necessary. I was selected to the group without external beam radiation and
will have the seeds implanted on April 20. The seeds will be at a higher radiation
dosage and placed in the prostrate as well as surrounding tissue.
It's
a relief to finally make a decision.
I
will be followed in this study with CT scans and blood tests evry few months for
the rest of my life.
Had
the seed implants done on April 20. It was almost too easy. Eighty two seeds were
implanted in a 40 minute procedure under general anethesia. In in the morning
and out in the afternoon. Catheter in overnight and out the next morning at 9am.
Urinating normally after some initial burning and had an erection the first night.
It's
hard to believe anything was done to my prostate. I have a very low level feeling
when I sit down hard or go over a bump in the car.
May
11 scheduled for Cat Scan to see how things are going.
Update
on my PC. After 14 1/2 weeks of my seed implants I had my first PSA. It went down
from 4.3 ng/ml to 0.80 ng/ml, which of course is great for my first one.
The
downside has been the challenging side effects. As the radiation piled up it's
accumulated effects, I have had constant urinary burning, urgency, sometimes tough
starting - so I've been on Flomax to help that area, while I can still have sex,
my ejaculations are awfully painful, and finally my rectum feels very inflamed
causing internal hemmoroids and loose and painful bowel movements.
All
in all I of course am happy the cancer is being beaten down but the side effects
are not as easy as I was made to believe.
Had
my six month checkup and my PSA dropped to 0.5 ng/ml.
I am still having considerably burning during urination and for about a half hour
afterwards.
There
are constant flare ups of burning in the rectum. I have tried a number of different
anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-biotics, urinary flow drugs with varying success.
On
April 20, 2006 it will be 17 months since I had my seeds implanted and the discomfort
has finally subsided to a point where I can focus on my life rather than the pain.
I am told I am not the norm, so if you are thinking about having the seeds don't
use me as a standard for pain. I have had an unusually rough time of inflamation
and burning.
My
next big step will be my 1 1/2 year PSA check next month.
It's
been 2 1/2 years since I received the 82 seeds implanted in my prostate. I had
a check up by my oncologist recently. He told me not to get alarmed by my PSA
rising from .5 immediately after the seed implants to 1.1 after 2 1/2 years. He
said since it was slowly rising he was not concerned and he told me I will outlive
the cancer and die from something else. He also said the rising PSA is not an
indicator that cancer was returning but rather an indication that I still had
irritation in my prostate.
A
digital exam showed that the prostate was as normal as ever & even my calcified
area was gone. So he said I will see you on your 3 year anniversary.
I
also had a colonoscopy recently since it was 10 years since I had my last one.
I had a small benign polyp removed. The Dr. also said I had radiation burns in
my bowel and internal hemmoroids that was causing bleeding every time I had a
bowel movement. I am in no pain or discomfort. I don't have the extreme urgency
to urinate as I did the first 2 years.
One
surprise is that my ejaculations are now totally dry. I feel a climax, but nothing
comes out. I guess the radiation burned all that out.
It's
been a slow healing process so you have to be patient. The first 1 1/2 years I
was in a lot of discomfort and trying every method I could find to give me some
relief. None worked well.
To
all the men who have emailed me over the past couple of years, I appreciate you
asking me more details about my own experience & I hope I gave you some more knowledge
and comfort.
I
just had my 3 year check up on April 21, 2008. My PSA dropped to the lowest level
since I had my seed implants. It is now 0.4 & the prostate is now smooth with
no sign of the nodule I had. I am just about symptom free & will be very happy
if I live out my life in the current state.
Harry's
e-mail address is: hnovak1@cox.net
