prostate cancer

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my dad has been diagnosed with prostate cancer - will probably need surgery or radiotherapy - anyone any experiences of this offer any advice / good sources of info?

bacup

is an excellent resource

Remember that many, many men have prostate cancer. Most of them die of something else. Most men over 80 for ezample have it.

Sadly my father died of it. Mu cousins hiusband was diagnosed with it over 5 years ago and he is fine, with no mesuarble re growth

Oh the surgery looks grim, a TURP, but both dad and cousins dh made a complete recovery from it

they are making advances with the radiotherapy treatment all the time, to the great benefit of patients. Imposible to do, but try not to worry.

thank you for ref. - sorry to hear about your dad, how old was he, did he have a late diagnosis?

Sorry to hear this. My dad had prostate cancer too and when it was first diagnosed I was working for a Consultant Physician who told me that if he had to pick a cancer to have, it would be prostate cancer because it's so treatable. Dad had radiotherapy about 15 years ago. He still gets annual check ups but he's been fine since.

he was in his mid 70s and wasn't all that well for a variety of other reasons. In actual fact he dies of heart failure.
try not to warry, I know it isn't easy. My dh was doagnosed with testicular cancer over 10 years ago and he is still free of it. He now has leukemia but that is another story.

All i can tell you that cancer isn't the automatic killer that people think it is. Cousins dh was regaling me with stories of friends who had comiserated with him about his 'death sentence' who are now dead themselves! While he is still going strong.

My Dad had his prostrate removed in February this year with keyhole surgery. He's 56. He had quite an aggressive tumour but the surgery went well and so far, fingers crossed, all his test results have been good.

He still suffers some side effects from the opertaion but otherwise is healthy and back at work.

Hope your Dad is getting all the support he needs to help him make the right decision with his treatment. Where abouts is he based?

here's some stuff from the Men's Health Forum

there was also an interesting article in either the guardian or observer at the weekend on treatment options etc.

Thanks for advice - maretta, you say your dad had keyhole surgery - was this nhs or private?

My dad had surgery for prostate cancer about 5 years ago now. They caught it early, he was in his late 50s at the time and in good health. The surgery and recovery in the weeks after were difficult but he made a complete recovery. He gets annual check ups but has been fine ever since.

I know that it is a very slow progressing cancer - in many older men they don't bother to treat it all - and very treatable in a majority of cases. I also know that it can run in families. After my dad was diagnoses we discovered his dad had it (was never treated for it and eventually died of a heart attack in his 70s) and at least one of his brothers has it as well. My own brother will need to be tested regularly as he gets older.

Sorry I can't point you to any good resources.

This is the article bundle mentioned. Interesting and spurred dh into going for a check up as his dad had it at a young age.

Hi there

sorry i dont have any personal experience, but one of my friends works for prostate-cancer charity, the link is below - fingers crossed it works - 1st time i've done a link...

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