Prostate cancer at 79 years old; level 7. Tell me what you know?!
Question: Prostate cancer at 79 years old; level 7!. Tell me what you know!?
My Dad and my brother John just left from visiting from Arkansas!. My brother is a cancer survivor; still dealing with the damage of 42 radiation treatments and chemo on his lungs, throat and other upper body areas!. Was good to see him and hey, he's still a handsome guy no matter what!. He's my brother, I love him no matter what!.
But while they were here, Dad had a talk with both John and myself and told us he has been diagnosed with level 7 prostate cancer himself!.
So my question is, how does the scale of levels in cancer translate with regard to severity, and age with this type of cancer in a 79 year old male at level 7!?
Just so I can educate myself here!.!.!.!.!.!.
Thanks in advance!.
Cancer, it seems, is EVERYWHERE these days in my family!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
But while they were here, Dad had a talk with both John and myself and told us he has been diagnosed with level 7 prostate cancer himself!.
So my question is, how does the scale of levels in cancer translate with regard to severity, and age with this type of cancer in a 79 year old male at level 7!?
Just so I can educate myself here!.!.!.!.!.!.
Thanks in advance!.
Cancer, it seems, is EVERYWHERE these days in my family!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
I dont know what he means level 7!. Prostate cancer is measured by PSA and Gleason Scores!. I would assume he is speaking of one or the other> I had prostate cancer in 2005 and my PSA was 4!.5 and my Gleason score was 6!. Im guessing he is speaking of his Gleason score!.!.!. If so a 7 is very treatable!.!.!.well a psa of 7 would also be treatable, But in my opinion he needs medical treatments!.!. If he is 79 he is on medicare and could at least take what is called Lupron shots!.!. Lupron is a harmone treatment that does not cure prostate cancer, but the it puts the cancer growth on hold most times for up to about 10 years!.!.!.The shots are given every 120 days usually!.!. 3-4 a year!.!.Id think he should at least consider them and buy himself 10 more years maybeWww@Answer-Health@Com
THe "source" below was one I went to to learn about prostate cancer when my father was diagnosed!. I found their information very helpful!.
With a mom and dad who are survivors of cancer, two sisters who didn't survive and a brother-in-law currently in treatment, I understand what you mean about it being everywhere!
Good luck to your dad and brother and God bless your family!Www@Answer-Health@Com
With a mom and dad who are survivors of cancer, two sisters who didn't survive and a brother-in-law currently in treatment, I understand what you mean about it being everywhere!
Good luck to your dad and brother and God bless your family!Www@Answer-Health@Com
my dad was about that age when he was diagnosed with level 7 ptostate cancer!.the tretment has been really good,they give him an implant in his abdomen every 3 months the doctor described it as a non surgial castration!.it made him sweat every now and again and he has put on about 5st in weight but we were told this would happen!.now at the age of 82 the tumour has shrunk away to nothing!.apparantly 1 in 3 senior men will get this type of cancer but the outcome is very good!.i believe its a lot tougher if you are in your 50's!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Well, I'm not that familiar with the Gleeson scaling of prostate cancer but my general feeling about prostate cancer is that people tend to die of natural causes eg a heart attack long before they succumb to the prostate cancer itself!.Also, these zoladexes and casodexes seem to keep it at bay for years!. Say the average life expectancy of a male was 83 and say zoladex extended his life by 5 years, well then at 79 the possibility of death from the cancer is relatively "weak" !. However, thats a very heartless way for me to explain something about a human and a person you love!.
Cancer is caused by genes but by and large is not genetic( hereditary) as such!. We've pretty much learned all we know from the few cases of rare cancers such as retinoblastoma or poliposis coli (colon cancer) that are hereditary!.However, hereditary is weird too because while these cancers might be passed onto offspring by and large the sufferer is usually the first case i!.e!. their DNA spontaneously mutated in the egg or sperm of their parents!. In one way cancer runs in everybodies family as sooner or later people get so old that their DNA has picked up damage (ageing) inevitably and alterations in immune responses stop damaged cells from being cleanly destroyed as they should be!. In otherwords cancer is a disease of older people!. Young peoples cancer tends to be in germline cells such as stem cells (leukaemia) but these are the exceptions!.
In general, we usually have sets of genes called tumor suppresor genes!. It is possible most of us have one faulty copy out of our 2 copies but thats okay!.!.!.we'll live on 1/2 doses of suppression!. However, if you, for example smoke, then you stand a good chance of killing off that second functioninh gene and a cancer might arise!. Your immune system, it is felt, by and large destroys these 100 % malignant cells but every now and then one will survive and seed a cancer ( this is infact evolution!.!.survival of the fittest cell!.!.but death of the organism as a whole)!.
In general you need to dose yourself prophylactically with various antioxidant vitamins in around the clock manner!.!.!.this is the basis of the advice to have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day!.
Another piece of good advice is to avoid strong alcohol eg european wines with > 10% v/v (vols) as alcohol is very damaging to your cells DNA!. Infact, we use 10 % alcohol in cell biology labs to kill living cells!. Another piece of advise is to make sure you get acid reflux treated and always wash down your oesophagus with cold water should your foot be too hot!. Oesophageal cancer is on the rise because of alcohol drinking and eating piping hot food (both burn your oesophagus)!.Obviously smoking needs to be stopped and stamped out as it increases your risk of cancer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Cancer is caused by genes but by and large is not genetic( hereditary) as such!. We've pretty much learned all we know from the few cases of rare cancers such as retinoblastoma or poliposis coli (colon cancer) that are hereditary!.However, hereditary is weird too because while these cancers might be passed onto offspring by and large the sufferer is usually the first case i!.e!. their DNA spontaneously mutated in the egg or sperm of their parents!. In one way cancer runs in everybodies family as sooner or later people get so old that their DNA has picked up damage (ageing) inevitably and alterations in immune responses stop damaged cells from being cleanly destroyed as they should be!. In otherwords cancer is a disease of older people!. Young peoples cancer tends to be in germline cells such as stem cells (leukaemia) but these are the exceptions!.
In general, we usually have sets of genes called tumor suppresor genes!. It is possible most of us have one faulty copy out of our 2 copies but thats okay!.!.!.we'll live on 1/2 doses of suppression!. However, if you, for example smoke, then you stand a good chance of killing off that second functioninh gene and a cancer might arise!. Your immune system, it is felt, by and large destroys these 100 % malignant cells but every now and then one will survive and seed a cancer ( this is infact evolution!.!.survival of the fittest cell!.!.but death of the organism as a whole)!.
In general you need to dose yourself prophylactically with various antioxidant vitamins in around the clock manner!.!.!.this is the basis of the advice to have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day!.
Another piece of good advice is to avoid strong alcohol eg european wines with > 10% v/v (vols) as alcohol is very damaging to your cells DNA!. Infact, we use 10 % alcohol in cell biology labs to kill living cells!. Another piece of advise is to make sure you get acid reflux treated and always wash down your oesophagus with cold water should your foot be too hot!. Oesophageal cancer is on the rise because of alcohol drinking and eating piping hot food (both burn your oesophagus)!.Obviously smoking needs to be stopped and stamped out as it increases your risk of cancer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
At 60 years old my PSA was 6!.25 and gleason 3+4=7!. After surgery I still had the cancer which is controlled with hormones!. Lots of side effects but the hormones work very well!. At his age I wouldn't have surgery!. I would do a biopsy and hormones if needed!. Surgery is not always a cure and the side effects are terrible if the Doctor is not very experienced!. I've been wearing a catheter for 10 months and will have more surgery to try to correct the problem!. Hormones can be injected from 1 to 6 months!. I'm every 6 months now!. Good luck!.Www@Answer-Health@Com