Talking about pathetic......

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:55 am

I've been feeling a bit that way since last weekend when I had a uretheral cystoscopy and prostrate volume study, a planning process for interstitial radiation therapy I'm having this Saturday. At least the volume study was under a general anaesthetic - the two previous prostate biopsies weren't, no anaesthetic at all. Those biopsy samples were taken in concert with a TRUS(trans rectal ultrasound). The first samples last year were six, resulted in one of those being anomalous. The second biopsy earlier this year had three of the twelve samples, fortunately localised in the same area of my prostate as the anomalous sample, assessed as malignantly cancerous. So, this coming Saturday, my prostate gland will undergo a six month or so cooking process.

With all of the pink froth and bubble about breast cancer, I just thought it pertinent to mention prostate cancer. My older brother had a radical prostatectomy at 59yo, I'm just glad that being about 9yrs younger I have the option of brachytherapy, having had a pretty close association with my brother after his surgery. By-the-by, a cousin of mine died from a breast cancer related disease at about 48yo so I'm not diminishing the breast cancer campaign, just trying to highlight the fact that there is a male-specific correlative genetic, potentially life-threatening cancer.

My own mother died at 57yo, not much older than me, from cancer that originated in the colon. She was about my age when she had a large portion of her lower intestine removed. Fortunately, my gastroenteroligist has removed only one potentially cancerous polyp during each of the two colonoscopies I've had. Her demise was scarey, especially given her age. She lived for about nine months after her terminal diagnosis, looked like a prisoner of Buchenwald. My father had a massive stroke at 81yo, couldn't speak, was paralysed on his right side, in obvious pain at times, hospitalised, for the ensuing six months until he had apparently suffered too much, Unfortunately I wasn't beside when he passed but I was when he drew down my mother's eyelids. Unlike Bud Tingwell, the stroke took dad before his prostate cancer. I think his father died as a result of prostate cancer but I'm not sure, old Robert Maynes Douglas was a singular individual, even after he had half a leg amputated in his later years. Cranky old prick at times but I think he liked me, don't know why. Maybe because I tried to ineffectually help him up the front stairs some time after the amputation.

Quite a rave, I know, but as much an expression of a part of myself as is wine. Regardless of the criticism of PSA tests in the press not so long ago, any male near 50yo should have at least annual tests, Trust your GP, hey Davo, seriously.

daz

p.s. Davo, Alan and Sue, thank you for maintaining my confidentiality to now but, perhaps there should be a blue ribbon day too.

TORB · Post by **TORB** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:20 am

Daz,

Agree with your comments about the importance of blokes having a regular PSA test, and the fact that prostrate cancer is virtually the male equivalent of breast cancer in women.

Possibly they should start having 'brown ribbon" days :shock:

to highlight the problem. :wink:

Good luck with your "cooking" - without your health, you got nothing, something many people don't realise until they have had the experience of poor health.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:24 am

Thanks Ric

I have full confidence in the medical team assembled to perform the procedure, a reasonable understanding of its aftermath but it's still a bit scarey nonetheless. I've considered a few potential party tricks, glow-in-the-dark genitals, the sun shining out me bum and a geiger counter at my groin going off the scale............I'll leave the latter to my delusional imagination. :lol:

Something of an irk is that the nuclear physicist's fee isn't covered by Medicare nor, consequently, the health insurance fund but at least the latter covers most of the cost of the strings of irradiated iodine seeds :shock:

How much does a bottle of 1986 Grange sell for at auction? If it's more than $7500, the seeds are bargain-basement. Regardless, they're a single, one bottle, personalised release

The team has done well so far, the procedure brought forward from the original date in July will allow me to maximise my excess medical expenses tax deduction in this financial year. Even being a public servant, I pay tax too, on a paye basis, but am appreciative that all other taxpayers will bear part of the marginal rate deduction I can claim for my out-of-pocket medical costs :oops:

Thanks to those of you who also do pay tax,

monghead · Post by **monghead** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:06 am

Good luck and all the best with it Daryl.

Monghead.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:03 am

All the best Daryl, I'll say a prayer to a God I don't really believe in. Have always enjoyed the candour and honesty of your posts. Good luck.

Jay60A · Post by **Jay60A** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:07 am

Good luck indeed. I'll be thinking of you and thanks for sharing it here. Puts the last squabbling on eBob firmly in perspective.

Jay

GraemeG · Post by **GraemeG** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:48 am

Oh, that stinks. Hope things go well for you. You've caught it pretty early, that's a good thing.
Speaks volumes for our tax system that you need to organise medical treatment in line with the financial year...
best wishes,
Graeme

Wayno · Post by **Wayno** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:07 am

Yes, good luck with all that, mate.

ross67 · Post by **ross67** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:25 am

Really sorry to hear of all this Daryl....hope it all goes well.

ross

michel · Post by **michel** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:42 am

daz
good luck mate.
lots of guys do well with prostate ca- I trust you will do well with some protective red wine :wink:

Partagas · Post by **Partagas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:58 am

Ironically Daryl there was a story on this just last night on the Sunday Night show. Apparently it is equal to if not more common than breast cancer. Thanks for alerting this forum to your personal issue because to me it sinks home even more so now.

All the very best of luck mate.

Sam

ufo · Post by **ufo** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:34 pm

All the best Daryl. I am going thru some health issues too at the moment, Just like Ric says, Nobody really thinks of health too much until one starts experiencing problems with it.

Muscat Mike · Post by **Muscat Mike** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:46 pm

Daryl,
all the best mate. I wish you well.
I have ridden "the black snake" after my brother got Ca and told me to get checked. He was the third family member to contract the bastard disease.
I can only add my voice to yours and others. IF YOU ARE OVER 40 AND MALE, TAKE THE TEST.
Mike.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:31 pm

Many thanks to all for your good wishes, they are well-received, I have been feeling a bit precious in the run-up to the implantation procedure.

I am indeed fortunate that the cancer was detected early, mostly due to my older brother having had the same condition that in his case was treated by surgery. It's also worth mentioning that during the preparatory process for his treatment, a CAT scan detected a cancer on one of his kidneys. About a year after his prostatectomy, that kidney was also surgically removed.

Regardless of the significantly higher out-of-pocket cost of brachytherapy than that of a prostatectomy, having witnessed the aftermath of both surgical procedures my brother underwent, the interstitial radiation treatment is far preferable to the trauma of invasive surgery.

As Sam has mentioned and as I alluded, the incidence of prostate cancer in men is statistically comparable to that of breast cancer in women, it just doesn't get the same level of publicity. Reason enough for me to mention it here I think.

Thank you all again for your good wishes.

daz.

dlo · Post by **dlo** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:19 pm

Darryl,

Sorry to hear the news. I have great confidience in the procedure you're undertaking. My father had the same treatment many years ago and his subsequent PSA readings have never been better. He's now almost eighty.

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:03 pm

Hang in there bloke. Thinking of you and wishing you the best.

Actually the odds are stacked against men. We were taught in Pathology that 100% of men would develop prostate cancer if they lived long enough, but that most would die with it rather than from it. i.e. they would die of other causes.

If you are over 50 get the test. If you have a strong family history see your GP and get testing started at an appropriate age.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:52 pm

Davo wrote:Hang in there bloke. Thinking of you and wishing you the best.

Actually the odds are stacked against men. We were taught in Pathology that 100% of men would develop prostate cancer if they lived long enough, but that most would die with it rather than from it. i.e. they would die of other causes.

If you are over 50 get the test. If you have a strong family history see your GP and get testing started at an appropriate age.

Thanks for your support Davo. As you say, relatively few men die because of prostate cancer but most die with it, as did my father. My urologist mentioned an unnamed local GP who did all the right things but was still diagnosed with prostate cancer. Unfortunately, it had already migrated to a lymph node so he is in dire straits apparently, - I'm not talking about the band - just a couple of years or so older than me. Speaking of bands, I know a local bloke several years younger than me who I'm told has been undergoing the last resort, hormonal therapy. Apparently he's back fronting a band so once I'm over the treatment, intend to go along and see a performance. Nice bloke actually but I haven't seen him for years.

regards

daz

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:14 pm

Davo wrote

If you are over 50 get the test. If you have a strong family history see your GP and get testing started at an appropriate age.

I have a strong family history. What's an appropriate age? Forgive my own candour.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:56 pm

jeremy wrote:Davo wrote
If you are over 50 get the test. If you have a strong family history see your GP and get testing started at an appropriate age.

I have a strong family history. What's an appropriate age? Forgive my own candour.

40yo or so but according to my urologist, it's not unknown for men in their late 30s to have developed prostate cancer. If you have an annual checkup with your GP that includes a broad-spectrum blood test, make sure your psa level is included in the tests. Due to my family history and the relatively high level of my first psa test, 6 monthly tests were ordered. I'm almost 55yo, had my first psa check at about 51yo.

Candour is irrelevant in this matter, it's something everyone needs to be aware of.

Now where is that geiger counter? :wink:

Cheers

daz

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:38 am

Thanks Daryl, really appreciated. And I am laughing at your joke about the geiger counter. It's just a serious matter of sorts + feel like I've been to candid of late

It may be getting me in trouble, I'm not sure :?:

The internet age is confusing :!:

dkw · Post by **dkw** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:04 am

Good luck on Saturday Daryl, the 5yr BNED (biological no evidence of disease) stats for seed implants are really good.

I'm a medical physicist and have prepared quite a few seed implants, so I think I can say that you're getting your money's worth from the physicist. You will find that usually it is the medical physicist who uses the volume study data to prepare the customised plan for your implant (gives the Uro and Rad Onc time to see other patients and work on the myriad other aspects of your treatment). All up they will probably devote around 15-20 hours to your treatment, plus use and maintain some pretty expensive software applications to do the calculations, and some more expensive gear to ensure you're getting the right dose in the right place. They really do make a significant contribution. It's a real shame their fees aren't covered by medicare or the health funds.

I'm sure it will all go well.

Cheers,

Dave

Davo · Post by **Davo** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 6:34 pm

jeremy wrote:
I have a strong family history. What's an appropriate age? Forgive my own candour.

That's the "See your GP" part of the recommendation. He should take a full family and personal history and decide, with your input, what is an appropriate time to start investigations.

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:08 pm

dkw wrote:Good luck on Saturday Daryl, the 5yr BNED (biological no evidence of disease) stats for seed implants are really good.

I'm a medical physicist and have prepared quite a few seed implants, so I think I can say that you're getting your money's worth from the physicist. You will find that usually it is the medical physicist who uses the volume study data to prepare the customised plan for your implant (gives the Uro and Rad Onc time to see other patients and work on the myriad other aspects of your treatment). All up they will probably devote around 15-20 hours to your treatment, plus use and maintain some pretty expensive software applications to do the calculations, and some more expensive gear to ensure you're getting the right dose in the right place. They really do make a significant contribution. It's a real shame their fees aren't covered by medicare or the health funds.

I'm sure it will all go well.

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks Dave, your good wishes are much appreciated as is your additional detail regarding the role of the medical pysicist. I have full confidence in the team, including the medical physicist who I may never even meet as he's based in Brisbane. Had an interview with the radiation oncologist a couple of weeks ago. He was apologetic about the fact that medicare and the health fund don't cover all of his fee but he did arrange for me to see him at the local public hospital so I didn't have any out-of-pocket costs for the consultation and will not bill me until after the implant procedure. He seemed to be a very nice man actually, originally of Indian, Sri Lankan, perhaps Pakistani ethnicity and very well-spoken. He mentioned having been involved in research in Melbourne in the past.

Cheers

daz

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:25 pm

Davo wrote:
jeremy wrote:
I have a strong family history. What's an appropriate age? Forgive my own candour.

That's the "See your GP" part of the recommendation. He should take a full family and personal history and decide, with your input, what is an appropriate time to start investigations.

Perzactly Davo. I started going to the same GP my brother has been attending for decades, not very long before he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The reason I started going to see this GP was because of his already extensive knowledge of the family medical history over so many years. It was he who ordered my first psa level test - that was after my brother had his prostatectomy.

daz

bacchaebabe · Post by **bacchaebabe** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:59 pm

Good luck Darryl. All sounds a bit firghtening but it also sounds like you've got it well in hand. Be thinking of you.

And the big question, can you still drink through all this?

Daryl Douglas · Post by **Daryl Douglas** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 10:40 pm

bacchaebabe wrote:Good luck Darryl. All sounds a bit firghtening but it also sounds like you've got it well in hand. Be thinking of you.

And the big question, can you still drink through all this?

Thanks Kris. The radiation oncologist advised against smoking after the procedure, something to do with reduced oxygenation of the blood that could impede the efficacy of the strings of irradiated iodine seeds.

No mention of alcohol consumption that I recall but that could be a symptom of my nascent Korsakovs syndrome. :wink:

Thanks again Kris

daz

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:03 am

Davo wrote

jeremy wrote:

I have a strong family history. What's an appropriate age? Forgive my own candour.

That's the "See your GP" part of the recommendation. He should take a full family and personal history and decide, with your input, what is an appropriate time to start investigations.

I am really conscious of hijacking this thread, but I just wanted to say thanks for your input Davo. Ok, that's it from me on this line. Once again, best wishes Daz and I enjoyed your post on Blue Poles over at The Wine Front. Take it easy mate, from reading you I suspect you will :wink:

dkw · Post by **dkw** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:59 am

Hi Daryl,

the point about oxygen is a valid one. Radiation is much more effective at killing cancer cells that are well oxygenated (it has to do with the way the radiation damages DNA).

If you want to get into the details, search for 'oxygen enhancement ratio' on the web while enjoying your next glass of red, and look for publications from the IAEA.

Good luck, and make sure your aim is straight for the few weeks after the procedure!!

Dave