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Original poster

Prostate cancer.. anyone know anything about it?

19 replies

hshavshejwhg12 · 28/01/2019 19:36

My FIL has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. He has been poorly for months but the hospital just kept blaming his diabetes and kicked him out of hospital, he has recently found out it’s prostate cancer. He has had a bone scan and is getting the results shortly.

My grandmother died from a very rare and aggressive cancer last year so I read up a lot about the type of cancer she had but I know nothing about prostate cancer.

I guess I’m just looking to hear any stories/facts that could maybe reassure our family? We have no idea how bad it is, or whether it’s treatable or not. The appointment with the bone scan results is this week.

OP posts:
dahliaaa · 28/01/2019 20:48

Hi my DH has advanced inoperable Pca. The waiting is awful but you really won’t be able to find out more until you have the results of the bone scan.
If it hasn’t spread then recovery rates are very good.
If it has spread then it is incurable but there are a number of treatments that can considerably extend life.
If you google Prostate Cancer UK they have a nurse helpline which is excellent. Hope you get some answers soon.
Do you know how high his psa was?

Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 29/01/2019 11:49

Hi dahliaaa, sorry for the late reply.

I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. I have been on the prostate cancer website and the NHS website and both are very good. No I haven’t been able to ask him any questions. My MIL broke down and told DP but my FIL doesn’t know we know about it as he didn’t want to tell people until he gets the bone scan results. I took him for his bone scan but I knew he didn’t want to tell me what it was for, so I didn’t ask. I will ask him about the PSA when he does decide to speak to us about it.

The worrying thing I saw online is that bone scans are generally done if the PSA is high and they think the cancer is bad.. if they don’t think the cancer is too bad they just do normal MRI/CT. He has had MRI and a bone scan so it’s worrying Sad was this the same for your husband?

OP posts:
marvik · 29/01/2019 11:52

I'd suggest contacting this lot. prostatecanceruk.org/get-support

It really is so various that without more information about your father in law's condition, there's not a lot useful that I - or anyone here - can say.

But it's useful to talk to somebody when you are feeling worried, and you can also go back to them when you know a bit more.

dahliaaa · 29/01/2019 12:16

It is very common to do a bone scan with a prostate cancer diagnosis. Hope you get the results soon.

Lundsay467 · 29/01/2019 15:15

My husband was diagnosed with pc over 3 years ago, at which time it had spread into his bones. The worst time was the first few weeks, when we were trying to learn about the condition itself and different treatment options at the same time as waiting for scan results. The websites mentioned above are all great but try not to get bogged down in too much detail too early. Also, don’t worry about historical survival data. There are some effective treatments around that have only been introduced recently. None of them cures pc, but they slow it down, and new treatments are coming along all the time. My husband is currently on a new trial and this drug has had promising early results, and new trials are being started all the time. On the non-medical side of things, we have adjusted to the reality of living with cancer in a way we never would have believed possible 3 years ago. Talking helps so make sure your FIL knows you’re there when he’s ready to talk. Good luck and best wishes to you all

dahliaaa · 29/01/2019 16:31

Lundsay sorry you are in the same position as us. DH is 2 yrs down the line. Glad all going ok with trial.

Lundsay467 · 29/01/2019 18:48

One important thing-we used to obsess about the latest PSA number. This was despite two senior consultants and a few doctors telling us they regard it as only the third most useful indicator after the scans and the patient’s general well-being. It’s quite unreliable especially if having treatment that can cause a temporary flare. They told us of patients doing well despite high PSA and vice versa - they mainly use PSA numbers to help them determine the timing of scans. Patients on the other hand tend to focus on it because it’s an actual number. So, ask your doctor if worried but try to look at the whole picture, because that’s what the medics do.

Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 29/01/2019 18:58

Thanks so much for the replies.. his appointment to get the results is tomorrow so we aren’t sure how soon he will want to speak to us about it. I would never make him tell us, I want him to speak about it only when he is ready.

He was very poorly in hospital before being diagnosed. Night sweats, feeling sick, legs in agony.. and then once diagnosed and put on medication he was let out and I can’t believe the difference in him, he looks so much healthier despite being diagnosed with cancer. He has also lost 4 stone which isn’t good but he was abit heavy to begin with anyways.

He’s not just a normal FIL I genuinely think of him as my second dad so it’s just all so worrying x thank u again for replying xx

OP posts:
dahliaaa · 29/01/2019 20:01

Hope it goes ok for him tomorrow.

Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 29/01/2019 20:32

Thank you Flowers MIL came round earlier and said he also has a pitted spine but didn’t know much about it.. I’ve looked this up and it mentions MSCC but absolutely no idea if it’s connected. Just wish I could stop reading up on it

OP posts:
LIZS · 29/01/2019 20:37

Hope tomorrow's appointment goes ok. PC has hit two generations of my family so far but all have been successfully treated. Thanks

Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 29/01/2019 20:42

Thanks lizs.. always nice to hear a good result Smile

OP posts:
LIZS · 29/01/2019 20:57

And also bear in mind different treatment options are developing all the time.

Lundsay467 · 29/01/2019 22:39

Another thought- I don’t know where your FIL lives but he can always ask for a referral to somewhere like the Royal Marsden which is at the forefront of innovative pc treatment. He can be under the joint care of his local hospital for conventional treatment and the RM for suitable trials so giving him the best of both approaches. Good luck tomorrow xx

Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 31/01/2019 08:21

Thought I would give u all an update.. got the results yesterday and absolutely over the moon that he is treatable. The cancer has spread to the bone however the consultant thinks it’s definitely treatable. The type of chemo he will have is an injection once every 3 weeks, I’ve never heard of this before. I just wish everyone could have the great news that we got yesterday

OP posts:
Original poster
hshavshejwhg12 · 31/01/2019 08:22

He will also be getting his biopsy soon

OP posts:
LIZS · 31/01/2019 08:30

Glad you had positive news. Hope his treatment goes well.

Lundsay467 · 31/01/2019 15:25

That’s great news and I wish him all the best xx

FurryDogMother · 31/01/2019 15:44

My Dad was diagnosed with terminal (Stage 4) PCa in 2001, which had spread to his bones. He's still with us at age 91, and is just having Prostap injections once every 3 months now (palliative care only). His urologist has always said that he thinks something else will lead to his death, as his PCa is very slow to advance. I hope your FIL does equally well.

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