I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in Oct. 2008. My PSA was only 3.2, but was elevated from what it had been on my last test. I had absolutely No symptoms but my faimly Dr. wanted me to see a urologist. After the 'finger up the *** drill', he said that he didn't like what he felt and wanted to do a biopsy, which he did. When my results came back from the Lab, my Gleason score was 9 (2 is lowest, 10 is highest). I really thought that I was a goner.
They then did a bone scan to see if the cancer had metastasized. That came up negitive (Thank God) They told me that if the bone scan were positive, there is no cure, only treatment. That is why the PSA test is a Very important tool for early detection.
I had to take 45 radiation treatments (5 times weekly for 9 weeks) & hormone shots every three months for two years. I finished my treatment regiment about two years ago. My last PSA number was .03.
I was told that if you have to have any cancer, prostate cancer is (usually) the least aggressive, and that Most men over 50 have it, (with low to very low Gleason scores) but usually they die very late in life from other causes.
Of course, it is a very upseting diagnosis, but treatment now is very effective and getting better.
Good luck with your treatments.
Art
