My dad has prostate cancer...

[Elibean]

I was told yesterday, and the rest of my family don't know yet - my father wants to get the scans, and treatment plan, out of the way before talking about it any more.

He's a very fit 80, and was diagnosed because of an annual PSA result of 10...had a biopsy, and its medium grade. Thats all I know.

Am sort of shocked - I know he's 80, but he's soooo active, plus of course he's my Dad

I'd really appreciate any information or experience - especially about this grade of cancer. Googling is informative, but MNers experiences help me get my head aroudn things a helluva lot more.

Most men will get prostate cancer if they live long enough. Almost all men who live into their 90s have it.

For the vast majority of these men it is an inconvenience, and most of them will die of something else.

At 80 your df is unlikely to be offered surgery (he might be offered a TURP, which will remove bits of the tumour and will make it easier for him to pee)

Most men are offered chemotherapy....but this isn't the traditions chemo that makes you puke and lose your hair, it is a hormone treatment. It will make him impotent.

Cancer bacup have lots of info on this

Agree with MB . My dad is just finishing a course of treatment for early stage and it was borderline whetreh they'd treat it at all since statistically most men live on perfectly well without realising they have it.

Elibean - my dad had this,aged 72 - very fit and active, still working - he is fine now,sailed through it. As MB said, most men will get it, lots do have it without knowing it and usually die of something else ! I was very worried but it all turned out ok...be hopeful and lots of good thoughts flying from here to your dad

My dad is 90 and very fit.Because of his age he opted for ongonig treatment and every three months has a inplan/injection (zolodex)He has no problems .

FIL had radiation therapy for his and is fine where as one of the uncles has had surgery and has had nothing but trouble since the op.

forgot to say, dad just had radiotherapy

Phew, thanks all - knew I could count on you to help cheer me! Google did'nt

I do know about low grade prostate, but Dad's isn't and thats what my stepmother (admittedly a, ahem, dramatic sort) is focussed on.

Really appreciate the experiences, thank you, and hope all the dads continue to do well...

don't goggle. You will always scare yourself shitless.

Cancer Bacup give good, honest, non inflamatory information. Have a shufti there if you want more information

My Dad (60) had medium grade he was diagnosed last year,he opted for the radioactive implants(brachytherapy) but due to an irregular heartbeat and high blood pressure his implants were delayed.To stop the cancer progressing anymore they gave him a course of hormonal injections,these helped the cancer to stop growing whilst they got the other problems sorted out.
He had his bracytherapy late last year,it wasn't pleasant treatment and he had some problems with his water works for quite some time after(they give medication to help with this)but he has recovered really well.They gave him regular 3 monthly checks but at his last appointment they were so pleased with him they've moved this to 6 monthly.

Hope that helps explain a bit and best wishes and good luck to you and your dad.

Hi Elibean
My stepfather was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer a couple of months ago.He goes into hospital tomorrow for surgery.

My stepdad is 64, and lives a very active life and does an active job. We are very close, he gave me away at my wedding in the absence of my real father.

I couldn't tell you anything about the actual disease, but you are not alone.

In general, the younger and fitter the man with PC, the more aggressive the treatment they will offer.

In part this is because a man of 60 can withstand more than a man of 80 (in general terms)

Plus if a man has it at 60, he may be living with it for 20 years, and would have 20 years for it to grow and become more of a problem. At 80, life expectancy isn't so great (sorry if that sounds horrid) so it is unlikely to become a problem for the patient.

Treatment options also depend on the Man's views about the hormone base chemo leaving him infertile.

Obviously you can't make absolute generalisations, but this is likely to be more of an issue for a 60 year old than an 80 year old. The surgery option does have its own risks in this regard.

impotent as well as infertile. Sorry!

My Dad has this too, his was picked up too late to cure. He is unlucky as he was only in his fifties when his cancer developed and very young for prostate cancer. He has hormone injections which buy him time and eighteen months after diagnosis he is bobbing along nicely.

Treatment is very individual depending on stage and grade.

I hope your dad remains active for some time to come.
SMM I hope your step dads surgery goes well.

Thanks again.....

SMM, I wish your stepdad the very best, hope it goes smoothly.

MB, I know, googling is always nuts. And I've always ended up doing it, whether its been me diagnosed with something horrid or someone else. Like I said, nuts BACUP is great, I agree with that too.

Thing is, about age, my dad's mother lived till 96 - I can well imagine my father going on for another fifteen years, or at least ten, without this. I don't think he'll care about the impotency side of things (could be wrong?!) and no, it won't be surgery: he's already said the consultant thinks it'll be hormones plus, maybe, radiotherapy. Depending on Thursday's scans, I suppose - those are the next scary bit.

At this point we don't know how advanced or early it is, just that its medium grade. His PSA was 10, whereas last year it was normal for his age group.

maddie, my friend's FIL was diagnosed in his 50s and is still having his injections ten years later - with no growth in the tumour. Hoping the same for your Dad.

Oh, Eli, I'm so sorry to read that.

My dad also had prostate cancer when he was 69 - he's now 71.

It's usually not the fastest growing of cancers, so if caught early, the prognosis can be very, very good.

My dad underwent prostatectomy and it was a real success.

Also radiotherapy, which he tolerated very well.

I'm sorry you are going through this (and your dad too obviously).

I know quite a few older men who have had it. Most of them didn't get further treatment because they were past 80 and it's a slow growing cancer. As others have said, if you live long enough and you are male, you will get it.

However one did have treatment last year and his prostate was removed. He's now impotent (but he says he doesn't care because he was 'too tired' anyway) and he had a sore bum for a week apparently (he told me about it in graphic detail. Oh and the chemo was horrible but that was only for four weeks and now he's completely cured.

Does your father have someone to talk to about it?

FIL was diagnosed with this 3 years ago aged 65. He had radiotherapy and is now fine. THe consultant was lovely, said how most men over 60 die with it, not of it, iyswim?
He was a bit distressed by the catheter he had for a couple of weeks, but was not really bothereed otherwise by the treatment.
It was a very stressful time for all the family, I feel for you all and am sending positive vibes your way.

My dad was diagnosed nearly 3 years ago. Wit ha PSA in the teens. He had to have several biopsies before diagnosis.

For a year a half they adopted "watchful waiting" as he didn't have any symptoms and he is not well enough, generally, for radiotherapy to be a good option (he is disabled/doesn't travel well/has poor mobility.)

He PSA climbed slowly but steadily so they put him on hormones nearly a year ago. The tumour reacted immediately and his PSA went down to 1. 2 weeks ago it was 0.5 He does not have any side effects at all, apart from some very minor nipple soreness at the begninning.

Dad is nearly 77. I don't know if you have been told this Elibean, but my dad was told that whatever one day "finishes him off", it is unlikely to be the prostate cancer! In itself, it usually isn't a life sentence for men the age of our dads.

Thanks some more....its so good to not feel on my own with this, given that I 'can't' talk to my brother or sister yet its been a bit hard to process.

whomoved, my father is not known for his ability to talk about anything scary or upsetting - he has talked a bit to me, a bit to his wife, and thats probably it. Mostly about practical stuff, though he went as far as acknowledging how stressful and 'disruptive' it all was - and that he wasn't very happy about the diagnosis

Me, I'll talk my head off when the s* hits the fan, if it helps. Which it usually does, to a point.

I think I'm going to be jumpy until we know for sure that it hasn't spread - guess the scans on Thursday are for that. I didn't realize that surgery was ever used on men over 80...Dad's nearly 81...thats interesting.

Thanks again, all, so much.