Re: New to this Site . Treatment options

[Guest guest]

Hi new member, it is quite possible that you do not have prostate

cancer. You seem to be pretty sure that you do, so I'm wondering if

you have a family history of PCa?

While you are researching treatment options, take a look at proton

beam radiation. It is a very viable option, particularly for someone

who is considering a treatment other than surgery.

Laurel

> >

> > Hi,

> >

> > I am sorry to read about your predicament. I am sorry to

> > read that you have already made up your mind as to a

> > therapy evidently without knowing much about your disease.

> >

> > Here is something I often send out to newly diagnosed men:

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis. ABOVE ALL DO NOT

> > PANIC AND RUSH INTO TREATMENT. Your cancer has

> > probably been growing in your body for several years. It will

not

> kill

> > you any time soon. It is your responsibility to make the

treatment

> > decision, but it should be a well informed decisions. Before you

> > make a treatment decision that you will have to live with for

the

> > rest of your life, get a second opinion from a doctor who does

not

> > specialize entirely doing surgery. Take the time to learn all

your

> > options. Have several PSA tests and make a chart. The PSA

> > will correlate fairly closely to the cancer activity. Do not rush

> > into any therapy if you have a moderate or insignificant cancer.

> > It will not kill you immediately- you may be much better off

> > just doing watchful waiting or a better term is Active

> Surveillance.

> > Again, make a chart and have several PSA tests. Look for any

> > upward trend and especially doubling time. You might also

> > change your diet and way of living if necessary.

> >

> > I had my prostate removed in 1992- but we did not have as many

> > options at that time. I would not choose surgery today. I believe

> > that there are better options. If I had it to do over, I would

> choose

> > brachytherapy, (seed implants or HDR). Of course there are

> > other options such as External Beam Radiation or IMRT, Proton

> > Beam radiation (it is one of the better therapies, but

expensive,

> some

> > insurance may not cover it), Cryo Surgery and soon we will have

> High

> > Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). HIFU may be the least

invasive

> > of all, but still not FDA approved in U.S. Many are now choosing

> > Laparoscopic or Da Vinci robotic assisted surgery to remove

> > the prostate. But it has the same unpleasant side effects of

> > the Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy (RRP). For advanced

> > PCa, there is hormone ablation and several regimens of chemo.

> >

> > No matter what therapy one chooses, there are always some side

> >

> >

> >

> > effects, No matter who does it or how it is done, removal of the

> > prostate has side effects, some more pronounced and unpleasant

> > than others.

> >

> > You are wise to do a lot of research. One reason not to have

> surgery

> >

> > is because, for me, sex was never the same after my prostate was

> > removed. The prostate and the seminal vesicles manufacture almost

> > all of the ejaculate. During orgasm, the prostate squeezes down

and

> > forces the semen out. This is a part of the pleasure of an

orgasm.

> > One may still be able to have an orgasm after a RP, but it may

take

> > a lot more stimulation.

> >

> > Many men who have surgery are impotent afterwards. There are

> > nerves on each side of the prostate that control erectile

function.

> > These nerves are difficult to see and quite often they are severed

> > or severely damaged.

> >

> > Another side effect of RP is that many men lose some length and

> > girth afterwards. Several studies have been done on this subject.

> > Go to _www.google.com_ (http://www.google.com/) and search for

> Loss of

> > Penile Length and

> > Radical Prostatectomy.

> >

> > Many men are also incontinent for some time after surgery because

> > the primary bladder valve is intimately connected to the

prostate.

> It

> > is often damaged. Most men do recover urinary continence by

> > doing Kegel exercises which strengthens the secondary valve below

> > the prostate. Unfortunately, a few men never regain continence.

A

> few

> > of these men have to have an Artificial Urinary Sphincter

implanted

> > in order to control their urinary output.

> >

> > But even if they do learn to control normal urinary functions by

> doing

> > Kegel exercises for this valve, when they try to have an

erection

> or

> > become sexually aroused, this valve will open and they may have

> > leakage. This valve has always opened during sexual activities

> > and no amount of Kegel exercises will cause it do otherwise.

> >

> > The primary valve is not involved in brachytherapy, or seed

> > implants so there is little or no incontinence.

> >

> >

> > The impotence rate is also very low. Some men will still have an

> > ejaculate, though it may be much less in volume. Some men are

> >

> > even able to father children after brachytherapy. After a RP, one

> may

> > be able to have sperm aspirated from the testes and used to

> > impregnate a woman. But it is a difficult procedure, is expensive

> and

> > may not always be successful. If a man thinks he may want to

father

> > children after a RP, he should consider banking some of his sperm.

> >

> > For more information, you can read my book below my signature.

Over

> > 20 MDs and several survivors contributed to it.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I wish you all the best

> >

> > Aubrey Pilgrim, DC (Ret.) Author of

> > A Revolutionary Approach to Prostate Cancer-Read the original

book

> > for FREE at:

> _http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/lay/apilgrim/_

> > (http://www.prostatepointers.org/prostate/lay/apilgrim/)

> > Read new edition for FREE at

> > _http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htm_

> (http://www.cancer.prostate-help.org/capilgr.htm)

> > Dr. E. Crawford is co-author of the revision

> >

> >

> >

> > In a message dated 3/18/2008 10:01:36 A.M. Pacific Daylight

Time,

> > bea175@ writes:

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > I'm 56 years old and just received the results of my fourth PSA .

> The

> > four results are 7.1 , 6.8 , 6.8 , 8.1. I'm facing a Biopsy on

> April

> > 4th. The closest cites to Kingsport, TN that does the DV Machine

> is

> > Asheville, NC and Knoxville, TN . I pretty much know I will be

> facing

> > surgery so my question is , does anyone know a particular

Physician

> in

> > one of the two cites who has extensive experience in the DV

> procedure?

> > Thanks

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > **************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms, and advice on AOL

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> >

>