cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Feb 25, 2016 17:33:40 GMT -5
My brother just called, he got a biopsy and they said it was cancer. Some test had levels that should have been very low but were very high so he went to a specialist who only does biopsies on Thursdays before noon and it was almost noon so he did one right away. The first doctor couldn't get him in for 3 months so a friend recommended this doctor. They are testing to see if it went to his bones yet when they normally test the glands first so he thinks it is pretty advanced. He has liver problems the last few year so immune compromised and keeps having biopsys on the liver. Now he can't decide if he would rather die of prostate or liver cancer but they want to give him pills every 3 months for 8 years so doesn't look to short term. He is 66 and diabetic besides a long history of liver problems, he has never drank more than a few beers a year or smoked or done drugs the liver just went bad on it's own.
Anyone know anything about prostate cancer in someone who is immune compromised? I know for other men it is slow growing but have a hunch his isn't going to be slow.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 17:42:27 GMT -5
So sorry to hear Crone. I have no knowledge but hope someone can answer your questions!
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lurkyloo
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Post by lurkyloo on Feb 25, 2016 18:50:35 GMT -5
So sorry Crone. I think gardening grandma's husband just went through treatment for prostate cancer, maybe she has something to add?<br><br>My BFF's father was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer in 2007 I think, metastasized to the liver but not immunocompromised. He passed away in 2012. He had a few good years after diagnosis, but the last year or so was pretty ugly.<br><br>The good news is that it's a very, very active field of research and there have been several new treatments made available even in the past three years. Also, every individual case of cancer is different. The best source of information is going to be his oncologist, not a message board (except maybe HoneyBBQ).<br><br>Best wishes to your brother.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 18:57:50 GMT -5
I don't know about those with immune deficiency but I do know that prostrate cancer is one of the most treatable. If nothing else they can just cut it out. Most men don't like that option because it has an impact on their sex life, but it can be done. My dad had prostate cancer that was treated with radiation balls and 6 years later there is no hint of it.
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Feb 25, 2016 19:08:59 GMT -5
I don't know about those with immune deficiency but I do know that prostrate cancer is one of the most treatable. If nothing else they can just cut it out. Most men don't like that option because it has an impact on their sex life, but it can be done. My dad had prostate cancer that was treated with radiation balls and 6 years later there is no hint of it. It depends on the type of prostate cancer. There are two major types: one is very slow growing and the other is fast-moving and can kill quickly. The stereotype is that younger men get the deadly one and older men get the *meh* one. But of course there are exceptions.
Crone: the first thing that any person with a new cancer diagnosis needs (after a supportive hug) is information. There is power (and many times calming) in fully understanding one's situation and the full variety of options. DB should ask many (many, many, many) questions and keep asking follow-up questions until he has all the info he needs to make the best decision for him.
Do not assume that every doctor will give you a full picture, because *mostly* they won't. They will tend to give you the answer that best fits their medical modality (because, after all, you sought their advice knowing their specialty). Surgeons will recommend surgery; holistic doctors will recommend alternative treatments, etc. I'm NOT knocking any doctor or specialty here! I'm simply pointing out that the information and recommendations you get *will* be colored by the perspective of the practitioner. Not a bad thing - it just *is.* All the more reason to seek a variety of medical opinions.
And FWIW, I agree that an anonymous message board is not the best place to be getting medical advice. Come here for support and encouragement, certainly!, but don't come here for information. Start researching cancer support groups and cancer specialists in his area. They are who you need right now.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Feb 25, 2016 19:16:10 GMT -5
I'm really sorry, Crone. I know this has to be hard on your family.
I'm not at all up on all the cancer information. Always left that up to the oncologists since there are so many differences and individualities in types and treatments. Asking questions of the doctors and participating in cancer support groups will be his (and your) best course of action. My best wishes for a good outcome from the tests being done.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 19:17:16 GMT -5
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lund
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Post by lund on Feb 25, 2016 19:24:20 GMT -5
This is what I dug up for a family member, which is based on how it is done here.
PC can be treated on three fronts. All may mean problems with erectile dysfunction, and the two first also with urine incontinence.
Operation, which may cure if there are no metastases. (It can be used to reduce the tumor in case it compresses something though.)(For an immunocompromised person, I assume that extra precautions may need to be taken.)
Radiation, which may have other side effects. For instance, bladder and intestine may be prone to bleeding. (I would assume that this can be especially bad for somebody with a compromised immune system, since bleeding means a kind of wound which is a way for bacteria to enter.) It is possible to use radiation against metastases in bad places in order to diminish their local damage though, which is then not curing the patient, just alleviating the symptoms.
Hormone treatment, buys time, but does never cure. It means a chemical castration, so it can be very hard on the man's partner due to him not being sexually interested at all anymore. (A man who is less able but interested may still please a partner to some degree, and may also get some pleasure from it himself.) How long time that is bought probably chiefly depends on how advanced the disease is (how much cancer tissue and where) and its histology (how bad a kind it is). It may give over ten years of "cancer truce" until it starts advancing again. The hormone blocker is given as injections every three or so months.
It is possible to radiate after operation, but not the other way around. Hormone blockers can be given after either or without any one of them.
How long the person will live varies a lot. It probably depends on age, general health, spread of disease, the histology staging (basically how bad it looks through the microscope when compared to normal tissue), and sheer luck.
The staging will tell how bad the cancer is. If the staging is bad, the cancer can be expected to be more prone to spread quickly and grow fast. A bad staging means a higher probability that there are metastasis early.
Here, if there is a blood test indicating cancer, they want a biopsy for staging (usually ultrasound checks of the gland are made during the same visit) and also spread is checked quickly. If no spread outside of the gland, they may want to operate. If spread, operation will often not do any positive difference, so often not done.
It is often not possible to remove metastases due to them being numerous and sitting in or close to the back or brain.
As long as he is treated, what he will die from can be up in the air for quite some time yet....
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Feb 25, 2016 19:27:09 GMT -5
Crone I am SO sorry. Yes DH was diagnosed in 2013. He had a radiation implant in Dec 2914 and is doing well. His PSA went from well over 8 to something like .4 But he isn't immune deficient. Second kittensaver's post! My best to him
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cael
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Post by cael on Feb 25, 2016 20:15:12 GMT -5
Sorry to hear Crone, that's scary stuff. My only experience is my dad, who was diagnosed when he was probably 60 or 61 (not immune compromised either, just high blood pressure). He was given the choice of try treatment or operate. Apparently they couldn't test what type he had unless they did the operation then tested what they removed... he chose the operation because he'd rather have the higher chance of living and being cured of it. Good thing he did, they tested after he had the operation and it was a super scary fast moving type, which luckily they had caught in time - 8 weeks later and there probably would've been no chance for him. He was lucky and it hadn't spread past the prostate, so the operation fully cured him. Good luck to your brother!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2016 23:03:44 GMT -5
DH's experience totally echos Cael's dad. Aggressive type, hadn't metastasized, chose surgery, no chemo or radiation after. Ten+ years out they consider him cured. No incontinence issues; sex life, well 76 ain't 26 prostate surgery or not. No immune issues though. Wishing your brother the best possible outcome on all fronts
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Feb 26, 2016 11:56:05 GMT -5
I can pipe up, but only to add questions to which you probably don't know the answers.
I'm guessing his PSA was high on routine exam. His biopsy result should say how many cores were positive. That indicates how much it has spread throughout out the prostate. If they did a bone scan, they may already suspect it has spread based on the PSA.
It's hard to know if it is 'slow' growing or not depending only on when you catch it. It may have been slow growing but now only discovered in the past year. Or, if he has been receiving PSA tests regularly, it may be fast if it has grown from normal to high in only a year.
The pills may be hormone therapy to suppress tumor growth. That is pretty standard if they think the disease is hormone refractory.
Radiation should not interfere with his immune system at all. I would suspect that is their recommendation if they decide to treat it. We treat tons of immuno-compromised individuals. It's not like chemotherapy or other therapies that crash your blood counts, etc.
If it has already metastasized there are options for treatment such as Xofigo, which is a radio-pharmaceutical. If you have more info and want to PM me I'm happy to help.
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bookkeeper
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Post by bookkeeper on Feb 26, 2016 14:55:57 GMT -5
My dad passed away recently at age 79. He had prostate cancer that was initially diagnosed as stage 4. The cancer had spread to his spine when they first found it. He lived 15 years after his first diagnosis.
Dad had Luprin injections every 3 months as well as oral hormone therapy.
He took some radiation treatments to help shrink the tumors as they began to grow near the end of his life.
He took radiation injections as a course of treatment.
He took Provenge treatments that really gave him a good bounce back for about a year and a half.
The thing that took Dad down was that his kidneys were not functioning with very much capacity. He could have used chemotherapy had his kidneys been working better.
The thing to take away from my post is there are many, many treatments available and many, many men in the same shoes as your brother. As Dad progressed through his disease, I was amazed at how new avenues of treatment kept being made available and how well Medicare and the Medicare supplement insurance paid.
Try to focus on making the most of the days remaining and try not to focus on this horrible disease and how life has changed. He may very well have a long life ahead of him.
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cronewitch
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I identify as a post-menopausal childless cat lady and I vote.
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Post by cronewitch on Feb 26, 2016 22:12:57 GMT -5
I can pipe up, but only to add questions to which you probably don't know the answers. I'm guessing his PSA was high on routine exam. His biopsy result should say how many cores were positive. That indicates how much it has spread throughout out the prostate. If they did a bone scan, they may already suspect it has spread based on the PSA. It's hard to know if it is 'slow' growing or not depending only on when you catch it. It may have been slow growing but now only discovered in the past year. Or, if he has been receiving PSA tests regularly, it may be fast if it has grown from normal to high in only a year. The pills may be hormone therapy to suppress tumor growth. That is pretty standard if they think the disease is hormone refractory. Radiation should not interfere with his immune system at all. I would suspect that is their recommendation if they decide to treat it. We treat tons of immuno-compromised individuals. It's not like chemotherapy or other therapies that crash your blood counts, etc. If it has already metastasized there are options for treatment such as Xofigo, which is a radio-pharmaceutical. If you have more info and want to PM me I'm happy to help. PSA was 140 and they are planning to do chemical castration 4 times a year for 8 years. He said they will test the bones so to him that means they think it has gone pretty far. I don't know why they tested him but with his liver issues and diabetes he goes to doctors a lot so probably gets checked regularly.
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Feb 26, 2016 22:30:55 GMT -5
Crone, I am sorry to hear this about your brother. My ex was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. He didn't tell me the PSA, but it has been high for a few years so he was being watched closely. This year, it had doubled since last year. Did a biopsy last year that was clear. This year's biopsy showed cancer. He did have to have the scan to determine if it had spread to his liver and bones. It had not. On March 30, he will have his prostate removed. The prostate will then be examined to determine the extent of the cancer and further treatment will be decided at that time. At least this is what he told me when we talked on the phone. He did say that he has the aggressive type of prostate cancer. He said the surgery couldn't be done now because the site of the biopsy is not yet healed. He had a business trip planned and the doctor suggested first doing the surgery one week earlier than it is now scheduled. Doctor said one week will not matter. My friend does not have a compromised immune system so I don't know how that affects things.
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beergut
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Post by beergut on Feb 29, 2016 1:40:22 GMT -5
Sorry to hear about your brother, crone. Keep us updated, and come here to vent if you need to.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 29, 2016 10:48:00 GMT -5
sorry about news of your brother crone. I hope he is treated successfully and has a lot of years of life to live yet...
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