Gleason 7 3+4 considering surgery

[Guest guest]

Hello

I am recently diagnosed from a biopsy with cancer in 11 out of 12

cores, all Gleason 6 except one 7 3+4 volume 30% 8 have volumes below 20% 2

others are at 30% These all being Gleason 6.

I was recommended because of my age 49 to have open surgery. I'm at Memorial

Sloan Kettering and Doctor is Eastham, a highly recommended nerve sparing

specialist surgeon. I've had two long consultations with him where he explained

his pov and answered all my questions quite candidly. He doesn't think I should

wait too long of course and recommends open because he can feel the tissue and

make better decisions. I have been following the posts on Joe with Gleason 7 and

read a quick email from Sheri? who says her husband was treated alternatively

from Gleason 7 and it has been successful so far. I cant find any of the posts

relating to this in the archives. Maybe someone can point me to them with names

of her husband and her actual name because Sheri or Sherri or her partial email

are yielding nothing in the search.

I have seen that my Surgeon's advice about surgery has been backed up in the

numerous yahoogroups I've read because of my age and quantity of Cancer. Does

anyone beg to differ? My surgeon claimed I believe 95% great outcome for

patients my age in recovery ( in terms of ED and incontinence, recurrence) Any

other points of view would be most welcome as I have a small window to make this

decision.

For One Year after a PSA 4.7 and believing Biopsy dangerous reading various

alternative sources, I had been treated by Dr. Bard who used 4D doppler

Ultrasound and his own Prostate supplement pills consisting of Beta-sitosterol,

Querticin, Revestarol , lycopene.

These pills haven't been cheap. Bard initially found 2 small tumors One shrunk

from 4X5 to 3X3mm the other disappeared and then another appeared in a

different location but had stabilized at 3X2 mm

My GP did another PSA in November and tried to scare the heck out of me as it

came back 5.2 Bard recommends MRI with his scans which my GP would not

authorize so I went through changing insurance and finallly in late January I

got the MRI which didn't turn out so good showing a dark shadow on one side of

the prostate. Bard rescanned me and said it was possibly erroneous but in

conversation with him, he said I could try a biopsy. Dr. Eastham feels that I

have a diffuse Cancer and feels that the MRI was correct as Color Doppler cannot

see cells before they form tumors. Any comments on the accuracy of Color

Doppler as opposed to Biopsy?

Bard seems to indicate that I don't have that much Cancer and with his Pills

and scans, most do quite well. Though he is concerned about my age , recommended

maybe a second opinion on the slides and possibly HIFU which I can't afford and

don't believe is good in my case. He has been a responsive MD and I respect that

he indicated a Doctor such as Eastham who does not share his POV. My feeling

right now is after a year of vegan diet and scans, I don't think I want to wait

and Ive discovered that my family is riddled with cousins(plus my Dad) who've

had or have Prostate Cancer.

All comments welcome. Thanks to all for the opinions and info I've received in

the short time I've been reading this group

all the best

Bill