Prostate Cancer

Question: Prostate cancer ? I want to know about prostate cancer and what constitutes the optimal form of treatment for patients with clinically localized cancers remains controversial. Can anyone give more information on it? Thanks in advance.

Answer: Treatment decisions are at present made on the basis of tumor grade and stage and the age and health of the patient. Although selected patients may be candidates for surveillance based on age or health and the presence of small-volume or well-differentiated cancers, most patients with an anticipated survival in excess of 10 years should be considered for treatment with irradiation or surgery. Both radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy allow for acceptable levels of local control. A randomized trial comparing watchful waiting and radical prostatectomy in men with clinically localized prostate cancer is currently under way in the united states (PIVOT: Prostate Cancer Intervention Versus Observation Trial). This trail will randomize 2000 patients and will run for 15 years. Patients need to be advised of all treatment options (including surveillance) along with their particular benefits, risks, and limitations.

Question: prostate cancer? If a man has his prostate removed due to prostate cancer, is he still able to produce sperm?

Answer: I have had a radical prostechtomy (prostate removal). There is no more sperm. Also, only a small percentage of patients regain the full erection strength they once had, even with all the pills and devices on the market. I would do it over again however. No cancer for 4 years so far. I am 55 next week.

Question: What would motivate feminists to make misleading claims about prostate cancer deaths? One feminist, who claims some sort of medical expertise, he repeatedly claimed that most men die WITH prostate cancer but not FROM prostate cancer. While this is true, simply because most men of a certain age have started to develop cancerous prostate cells and therefore most men who die do have prostate cancer, this claim is very misleading because it fails to acknowledge that prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men.

Answer: My theory is that this person is either misinformed or is else is trying to minimize the suffering of men. My beloved former slave had prostate cancer and had to have it removed. Thank god the cancer hasn't returned, but it has left him unable to have intercourse, even with little blue pills. It sounds like the person you're referring to is trying to pooh-pooh prostate cancer and minimize the damage (and death) it can cause.

Question: What does treatment for prostate cancer consist of, and does it affect a male's ability to have sex? A very close friend of ours has been diagnosed with prostate cancer (it really *isn't* my partner or me!) and we were wondering what his treatment options might be. If the prostate gland is removed, does that eliminate the ability to have sex? Probably best to have an older person answer this: it's pretty obvious by the question that this is going to be completely out of the realm of experience for most of the teenagers.

Answer: It can, but new surgical techniques have reduced the risk. I was diagnosed with it about a year ago, but a second opinion from Johns-Hopkins said no. At least not yet. Anyhow, there are a number of different treatments that depend on the age of the patient and the stage of the disease. At my age, 50, and the very early preliminary diagnosis, removal was recommended. There is a new procedure called the da Vinci procedure that is minimally invasive and less likely to lead to the nerve damage that causes impotence. However, it is still a risk, as well as a risk of urinary incontinence. And even if you are not impotent, your orgasms will be dry - seminal fluid is produced by the prostate. There are also other procedures, such as implanting radioactive 'seeds' into the prostate. It is my understanding that the risk of impotence from that or any other radiation procedure is higher than da Vinci surgery, but less than with traditional surgery. Chemo and broader irradiation can be recommended in more advanced cases. My brother had the daVinci procedure, and he is able to have sex. He uses a penile constriction band to maintain an erection; I don't know whether he had any ED problems before. He is able to have orgasms, but as I said, they are dry. Sometimes, again depending on the age,the stage, and how aggressive the cancer, they will recommend leaving it alone. Don't bank on that, though. Here's a link with info on the daVinci procedure. Tell your friend my thoughts and prayers are with him. I know how scary this is. I have to have regular biopsies to keep track of mine, and every time I go through hell waiting for the results. http://www.davinciprostatectomy.com/davinci_prostatectomy/index.aspx If you Google 'prostate cancer stories' there are lots of personal stories on the web.

Question: At what age should you start prostate cancer screenings if you have a strong family history? My husband will be 30 soon and I wonder when he should start psa screening for prostate cancer. His father, paternal grandfather, and paternal uncle all had/have prostate cancer. His father was diagnosed at age 43 but it appears to be out of remission now after 10 years. I've read the recommended age is 45 or 50 yrs but if my father-in-law waited to 45 he'd be dead by now. So if you have a strong family history, what's the best time to start?

Answer: $0 would be reasonable earlier if has any symptoms

Question: Can a person with prostate cancer transmit any form of cancer to his mate? Is it prossible to transmit cancer to another person by contact? Case in point: An acquaintance of mine had kidney cancer and prostate cancer each of which have been successfuly cured. Later his wife had uterine cancer. Could her malady have been transmitted by the kidney/prostate cancers?

Answer: Cancer is not a transmitable/contagious disease. It is more likely that they were exposed to the same carcinogen (cancer causing substance). Either that, or plain bad luck! You haven't mentioned their ages or how long they have been together, but if they are an older couple, age is probably the biggest contributing factor.

Question: What is the best surgical procedure to treat prostate cancer? I am from Philippines, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The doctor's advice is to do surgical procedure wherein they have to remove the testicles/scrotum of my dad. Isn't he suppose to remove the prostate instead of removing the testicles/scrotum? Once the testicles are removed, what are the chances of survival if his prostate wont be removed?

Answer: prostate cancer is hormone fired. (it relies on the male hormone to grow and spread), by removing the testicles they remove the hormones. This operation is often performed on quite elderly patients and can be a simpler proceedure than removing the prostate itself.

Question: Why do you think so much more attention is paid to breast cancer over Prostate Cancer? The US Government spends double on breast cancer research over prostate and the corporate disparity is much greater. Campbells soup doesn't have Prostate awareness soup cans! Although deaths from breat cancer are 1/3 higher there are far more cases of prostate cancer, over 240,000 per year. The funding and awarness differential is 300 or 400%. So is it a gender issue, an age issue (tends to be later onset) or What?

Answer: Truthfully, I think it comes down to this: "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." Women have aligned themselves behind this cause and worked together- socially, politically- to bring attention to and fight for the research money. They have banded together to raise money and awareness. They've gone through the necessary steps to make sure that this problem is not ignored. Men should do the same for prostate cancer. This is one area that men could learn something from the example of women. I'm not saying this to be sexist. I'm saying it because it's the truth. Men need to band together and fight for what they want. Things aren't just handed to any of us on a "silver platter." We had to struggle for what we wanted to achieve. Prostate cancer indeed does deserve more attention. Men have the power (same as women) to bring this issue to a level of heightened awareness. But I wouldn't stop there. Awareness is a great first step- a necessary one, but take it further: join in force and be political advocates. Don't stop until you reach your goals! You'll find out, along the way, that as others gain awareness, more people will join in the fight for your cause...not just men, but women, too.

Question: NHS spend on testicular and prostate Cancer compared to Breast and cervical ? Me and the wife were having a discussing about the relative nhs investment and mortality rates of male and female cancers (as she is a school nurse assistant). I maintain that male cancers (testicular / prostate) are not taken as seriously as female cancers (breast and cervical) and have less investment in them. Does anyone know if there is a disparity between the four cancers and why this is the case? Please don't cloud the issue by telling me that men suffer with breast cancer, I know!

Answer: I think some of it is how much coverage they get. Breast cancer has a huge promotional effort behind it and is a big money make so they spend lots of money on research.

Question: How common is prostate cancer in people in their 20's? I am currently only 21 and I think I may have prostate cancer. I constantly feel like I have to piss even when I really don't. I also have the lower back, stomach, and other pains associated with prostate cancer. I also for the first time in my life find myself having to take naps to get through the day (fatigue is also sometimes associated with prostate cancer. All of the online studies say that prostate exams should start between an age of 40 - 50. How often do people my age get prostate cancer?

Answer: not very often. That is why they do not check for it until then but your prostate can be swollen for other reasons causing problems like this. Consult a doctor. Do not worry too much but be active in getting to the root of this so it does not get worse

Question: Can prostate cancer be worse for someone who already had multiple sclerosis? My father was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday. The doctor says it's early and is extremely optimistic. I have read about it online and the prognosis looks good. Unfortunately, my father has multiple sclerosis that is pretty advanced as well. He was diagnosed over 25 years ago and is wheelchair bound. Will his multiple sclerosis have any effect on his prostate cancer prognosis?

Answer: Hi Ashley, I have had multiple sclerosis for twenty years now. Those of us with MS supposedly have compromised immune systems. As a consequence, we might have a more difficult time fighting off any other disease, inflammation or infection. That does not mean that we cannot survive cancer or any other disease. It simple means that we just might have a more difficult time. Many of us have a dual-diagnosis and live near normal life spans. My best wishes to you and your Dad.

Question: Prostate Cancer: How bad can is get if unnoticed for almost 2 years? Someone I know had a physical 2 years ago and the doctor missed their readings then. They only just noticed when they went back through his file and saw how high his reading were. The doctor is sending him to a specialist, but told him it is almost 100% going to be prostate cancer. Because it went on untreated for so long, how bad could it have gotten? How fast does cancer spread?

Answer: There is a chance that the cancer will be cured. It does not just depends on how long the person has had cancer, it also depends on the structure of the of cancer and how it responds to treatment and if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Unfortunately if the cancer chipped off and spread to other parts of the body through the blood supply, then the chances of recovering from it are much smaller and will depend on how the patient responds to chemotherapy. If the prostrate cancer has not spread then surgery may be given to remove it and sometimes a follow-up course of radiotherapy. The reason radiotherapy is given is to target the cancer cells in the whole area. An operation just tends to removed the bulk or centre of the tumour and radiotherapy targetted around that area hopefully clears up what is left. Sometimes if the tumour is small enough though, they take a large area of tissue out which surrounds the tumour too. Sometimes additional chemotherapy is also given afterwards. Having a cancer like prostrate cancer for two years without recognising it is quite common, however his chances will increase greatly if he is treated as soon as possible. The survival rate for prostrate cancer is about 50% which is not fantastic - but then again its only 50% because it is a disease which effects mainly the elderly. Some prostrate cancers grow faster than others too. The thing with cancer is even when it is terminal many are slow growing and sometimes even the medical profession get the prognosis wrong. I know someone whose father had a large prostrate cancer and he was told he would be dead in a year and he lived for 8 years with the cancer and new cancer drugs are coming out all the time to slow the growth of tumours and restrict them from spreading. Unfortunatly though only tests in a hospital will tell and the cancer specialists in the hospital will know a lot better than what I do. All you can do really is offer to help him and be there for him. Many people who have a serious illness like this cope by not dwelling on it too much. He might not want sympathy but he will want people around him. He must not think oh im probably going to die soon so i will isolate myself. Older people who are ill often feel an immense sense of pressure and often if they have been independant all their lives they feel as if they are being a burden to the people who care for them because in times of hardship they cope taking their mind of their own problems, but sometimes they put their own needs at the bottom of the pile. Unfortunatly when people are terminally ill, their families often cope by greiving before they have died. This is called social death. If the patient senses this they can give up much sooner or become depressed. Not all familes are good at dealing with a relative who has a terminal illness. Many people with terminal cancer chose not to tell their familes.

Question: What is the number of procedures for prostate cancer brachytherapy, external beam radiotherapy in Europe & US? I am looking for the 2010 numbers of these treatments for prostate cancer, both in the US and in Europe. I am not looking just for prostate cancer incidence, but treatments numbers broken out by treatment modality.

Answer: You’re not going to find them as they are not there to find. Few 2010 cases have been reported yet and none have reached the national level.

Question: How long can you live with Prostate cancer? About ten years or so ago I went to the doctor and asked about Prostate cancer screening. He said I was too young. Besides being over worked under paid and uninsured I have a pain in my scrotum and it feels like I have an 8 ball in between my crotch. I have been doing a lot of heavy lifting and I am exhausted. Everything works fine down there but I am very tired. A friend of mine had kidney cancer and he died shortly afterwards, he complained of being tired. Also my bones hurt. I was thinking that I could have a body infection. Should I be terminated by lethal injection? Getting sick is a sin in this country, I should be punished. Of course I could be over reacting, it has been a terrible week.

Answer: While prostate cancer is a known killer, it, like all cancers, can take from a few weeks to several years to really get you. Ypou didn;t say your age but if you are over 15 and asked for a prostate check, the doctor should oblige. In fact all guys once they are pretty well through puberty should have everything checked annually. Unfortunately, unless one is insured and the insurance covers routine medicals, very few people actually get them. And due to embarassment or whatever even those who do get routine checkups don't insist on genitals being thoroughly examined. As for your current pain in the scrotum, I would be more suspocious of a hernia or similar problem causing the discomfort especially given you do heavy lifting. so insured or not, it is tiem to get an appointment with a doctor who will give you a thorough exam in the genital region to determine wha tis right and what is in need of treatment.

Question: What is the prognosis for a recurrence of prostate cancer being treated with hormone therapy? My husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer 5 years ago and had radiotherapy after which he was ok until early this year when his PSA started to rise. It is now 16 and he has been advised to go on permanent hormone treatment. The doctor didn't tell us how likely this was to work and how long for. He is 63. Does anyone here know anything about it.

Answer: I’m not sure what you mean by “work”. I assume you know this will not cure him of the disease. Prostate cancer is typically slow growing and far more often than not managed very well. How aggressive it is, is determined by the Gleason score. This would have been determined at biopsy. Hormone therapy is standard care and works quite well at slowing the disease for long periods of time. It is not unusual to see men with prostate cancer for 15-20 and more. Whenever you realize you have an unanswered question call the doctor and ask over the phone they are used to it – it’s part of the job. You may also be interested in knowing there is a prostate cancer vaccine due on the market by February. I can’t remember the name but I believe it is coming from a company in New Jersey. From what I was told it works very well, but it is also very expensive $30,000-$40,000. The patient’s tumor cells are used to make the vaccine so it is specific to the patient and their cancer. Over time, which fortunately you husband has, I suspect the price will come down. I also believe this type of vaccine will become available for different types of cancer. I work with a doctor who has had one for brain tumors in clinical trials for a few years now and it has been doing very well. Best wishes.

Question: How much longer can my dad live with Prostate Cancer? So my dad is in his 60's and he has prostate cancer and he has been going in for treatment. What I would like to know is if someone has prostate cancer can you live while undergoing treatment or will it kill you overtime while going in for treatment? If you have prostate cancer how long can you normally live?

Answer: If prostate cancer is caught early enough (which it normally is), there is a high likelihood that your father will pass away from something else. Especially if he has had treatment. Sometimes, not all that often, there is a type of prostate cancer that is hormone refractory and will not respond to radiation or the hormone therapy. This is the kind that will get out of control fairly quickly. If he is undergoing treatment, I assume you mean radiation therapy and/or hormone therapy? As long as he is getting treatment, has routine PSA checks and stays on top of his follow-up, he should be okay from the prostate cancer standpoint. Good luck to him with his treatments! Hope everything turns out okay.