Prostate problems

Discuss medical issues, and help each other navigate the available options for the Health Service in Cyprus.
Before following anybody's advice on here consider consulting your local doctor first.
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Devil
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Re: Prostrate problems

Post by Devil »

ronk wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 8:31 pm >Devil - interesting! May I ask if you have had any lasting side effects from the drugs you are taking?
May I also ask how old you were when your PSA was found to be 28? Feel free not to answer if you consider the questions a bit cheeky.
As someone who has had prostate cancer how valuable/reliable do you think the PSA test is..as say compared to a good doctor's digit?
The only side effect from the hormone therapy is hot flushes (à la menopause in the fairer sex) but a pill stops them. Body hair is much thinned out, but that is an advantage (head hair and beard are normal, to my barber's delight!)! I was 62 on Dx, now 85. Of course, there are two PSA tests. The ordinary one is a good indicator but not absolute; there are several things that can affect the reading, such as sex in previous 24 h (if only!), riding a bicycle or a horse, rally driving, prior DRE etc. The DRE is equally only indicative because the tumour may not be felt if it is on the anterior side of the gland; a biopsy is the only reasonably sure way. The transurethral biopsy allows the surgeon to sample the exact area most likely to have a tumour. A transrectal biopsy covers a large area (in effect, 12 biopsies in 1) but could miss a small tumour but it doesn't require hospitalisation.
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Devil
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by Devil »

Percent-free PSA. PSA takes two major forms in the blood. One is attached, or bound, to blood proteins and the other circulates freely. The percent-free PSA test indicates how much PSA circulates free compared to the total PSA level. The percentage of free PSA is lower in men who have prostate cancer than in men who do not. Studies show that if your PSA results are in the borderline range (4 to 10), a low percent-free PSA (less than 10%) means that the likelihood of having prostate cancer is about 50% and that you should probably have a biopsy.

Some doctors recommend biopsies for men whose percent-free PSA is 20 or less.
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Lincoln
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Re: Prostrate problems

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Road Warrior wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:55 pm When it comes to cancer, there is no such thing as cured for life, I am shocked that any doctor would say that to a patient, it's ridiculous and irresponsible.
Not only the Director/Surgeon of the Hospital told me. When I went for my first PSA test 6 months after the operation I was also told By The urologist here that it was the same as having the Prostate removed and that I was CURED. I am lucky that mine was caught in the very very early stages.
Last edited by Lincoln on Sat Aug 05, 2017 4:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Bramble
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by Bramble »

Gentlemen, please excuse me butting in on a mans health issue, my husband has the same problem. Sadly, we had to return back to the UK for family reasons and our GP here referred hubby to Addenbrookes Hospital for a HoLep procedure to zap his enlarged prostate away. He has an appointment to see Mr Tev Aho, a Consultant Urologist on Monday next week for this latest laser treatment, is this the laser treatment you are referring to Miloman? I don't know if is this is available as yet in Cyprus but may be worth asking at the General as it's less invasive that a TURPS, less bleeding and the recovery time is much quicker. If you are not at all squeamish and want to know more about this, there are video clips of the HoLep procedure on YouTube.
outasite
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Re: Prostrate problems

Post by outasite »

PaphosAL wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:09 pm OMG, it's bad enough going to the dentist for a routine check-up and scrape. Let alone to the hospital for someone to poke their rubber-gloved finger up your rectum and feel around...

I thought they had little cameras and x-rays for this kind of investigative stuff nowadays?

Ouch! AL :)
Al,
It's not so bad. I must admit I was a tad concerned when he held onto my shoulders, though.. :shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:
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Devil
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Re: Prostrate problems

Post by Devil »

Lincoln wrote: Sat Aug 05, 2017 4:33 pm
Road Warrior wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:55 pm When it comes to cancer, there is no such thing as cured for life, I am shocked that any doctor would say that to a patient, it's ridiculous and irresponsible.
Not only the Director/Surgeon of the Hospital told me. When I went for my first PSA test 6 months after the operation I was also told By The urologist here that it was the same as having the Prostate removed and that I was CURED. I am lucky that mine was caught in the very very early stages.
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Devil
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Re: Prostrate problems

Post by Devil »

Lincoln wrote: Sat Aug 05, 2017 4:33 pm
Road Warrior wrote: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:55 pm When it comes to cancer, there is no such thing as cured for life, I am shocked that any doctor would say that to a patient, it's ridiculous and irresponsible.
Not only the Director/Surgeon of the Hospital told me. When I went for my first PSA test 6 months after the operation I was also told By The urologist here that it was the same as having the Prostate removed and that I was CURED. I am lucky that mine was caught in the very very early stages.
Maybe Greek hospitals say that but it ain't necessarily so. I suggest you read https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3502731/ and especially section 5. Quite apart from the tiny risk of just one cancerous cell having been missed and lying dormant for years, there is a risk, equally tiny, of a new adenoma developing. In my case, the prostate seemed disease-free for 15+ years. By your definition, I appeared to be 'cured' during this time. I wasn't. The lucky ones die of other causes 20, 30, 40 or more years later without any increase of PSA or other effeccts, but they were not cured. May you be one of the lucky ones.
galexinda
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by galexinda »

Very interesting article from the UK mentioning some of the various methods that have already been discussed here such as the da Vinci Xi surgical robot and brachytherapy:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... z4oyEZxFPa
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Lincoln
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by Lincoln »

galexinda wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 1:43 pm Very interesting article from the UK mentioning some of the various methods that have already been discussed here such as the da Vinci Xi surgical robot and brachytherapy:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... z4oyEZxFPa
Excellent report and another person CURED by Brachytherapy, as he was caught very ealrly and was contained in the Prostate gland.
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Devil
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by Devil »

Lincoln wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 6:09 pm Excellent report and another person CURED by Brachytherapy, as he was caught very ealrly and was contained in the Prostate gland.
Sorry! If you place more faith in the Daily Wail than the US National Center for Biotechnology Information, that's your problem.
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PaphosAL
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by PaphosAL »

This is rather embarrasing, but true... :oops:

I haven't experienced an erection nor ejaculation for a number of years now, and I'll be 70 at the end of this month. Bowel and bladder functions both appear to be working fine, but I (foolishly) drink and smoke too much still.

Should I ask my GP for a Prostate test at our local hospital, do you think, based on what I've stated here?

Cheers- AL :?
Gone but not forgotten...
trevnhil
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by trevnhil »

You could do with a blood test to show your PSA levels..
Trev..
galexinda
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by galexinda »

Road Warrior wrote: Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:04 pm If you take the time to read this article you will see that Brachytherapy controls prostate cancer, it does not cure it. Hopefully this will be of interest to people interested in learning more about the disease and various treatments available.
https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-i ... chytherapy
In this article it states: 'Radiation from the seeds destroys cancer cells in the prostate'.

I would have thought that hormone therapy is better described as controlling prostate cancer.

'Prostate cancer depends on testosterone to grow. Hormone therapy blocks or lowers the amount of testosterone in the body'. http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-c ... ne-therapy
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by JimX »

Blood testing PSA should be done yearly, I also recently had a digital test, not pleasant and not foolproof, the only real way is a biopsy test, again uncomfortable, it may or may not find any problems...
Jim.
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Re: Prostate problems

Post by trevnhil »

I have PSA blood test a few time a year, and have to get the results of my last one today. So yes if you are showing any signs of prostrate problems, then go and get yourself checked out.
Certainly the biopsy is not nice but if it is deemed necessary, have the procedure done..
Trev..
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