I just had my 'treatment' plan laid out today. My bone scan was clear, so no metastasis. The 1000 picture MRI showed everything ‘bad’ is contained inside the prostate and my tumor level is in-between the best and the worst, so not aggressive, but should be treated. Up to 6 is considered low – 8 and up aggressive, Mine is a 7A (3+4=7A – Gleason Score).
My PSA level went from 14 down to 9.7 indicating it was most probably an infection that boosted PSA levels for 6 months. The infection showed up on the MRI.
I will get an injection of Zoladex 10.8mg into my stomach lining every 12 weeks for a year (began today), this blocks testosterone from being produced in my body. I also received 30 days’ worth of Bicalutamide Bluefish 50mg pills that also block male hormone production. The shot was in the stomach, but was nothing bad. I’ve always heard as a kid that those rabies shots in the stomach were a horrible pain, but this was not.
After 6 months or so, (Aug-Sept) I will have radiation beams to the prostate every day for 37 treatments. The first 25 cover a larger area due to glands associated/connected-to with the prostate - the last 12 are more specific. Before those start, I will receive 3 pieces of gold placed into the prostate for location purposes. So if I have more children . . . will they have golden blonde hair? I will also begin using the major lubricant laxative, liquid paraffin, prior to radiation to ensure that there is less displacement pressure in the area of the prostate - I hate to eat and run, oh, well.
Other stats: Impotence - until after treatment is concluded and … 40% of men do not recover from this malady ever, whether they have beam treatment or prostate removal – and yes, either treatment does produce the same survival rate – no difference statistically within my range. One can expect a 10 – 15 kilo weight gain – just what everyone wants. Like a green & orange tie for Christmas … with ducks on it.
So, things look ok and the cancer doctor expects a complete cure since this is an early detection.
Treatments are based on a 10 years life scale. If you were 70, most likely no treatment, since you probably would not live to 80 anyway. ‘IF’ a sample PSA test were taken of all men 55 – 58, it would reveal 50% with prostate cancer across the board, but most
men never die from this cancer.
This was good news for me today.
Got to run … Starting with today's male hormone blocking injection and pill gave me the urge to go out and shop for some red pumps and a matching purse, ha, ha.
Thank You - to God, my great oncologist and lovely wife.
