Re: Treatment Options for a 83 old man with 6 yrs of prostate cancer

Andy Lee wrote:
> Hi all,
> It has been six yrs since my dad was diagnosed prostate cancer.  He
> had his gland surgically removed right away and was on Hormone
> treatment since then.  The PSA index has been good until 6 months ago
> when it‘s up to 40 something.  He had bone scan and it was determined
> that the cancer has not spread yet.  One month ago he found blood in
> his urine, and stayed in the hospital for three days and though all
> the exams.  He was released and alright.
>
> Today he visited his urologist and realized that the PSA is up to 125.
>  However, the doctor recommended no extra treatment by now due to his
> age and health condition (he still has pretty good life quality,
> however he's very hard of hearing, and he's almost blind since last
> yr, has heart problem…. like all other guys of his age) until it's
> getting more serious.
>
> Is it reasonable?  My dad want to fight it more aggressively with
> chemo or Cryotherapy?  Does that make sense for a guy of his age?

If his prostate gland was removed six years ago, just what would they 
apply the cryotherapy to?   That is usually an alternative to surgery or 
radiation or as a followup therapy to radiation, if I'm not mistaken. 
If there is no prostate, there is nothing to remove that way.

Conventional chemotherapy doesn't work too well for prostate cancer 
because it destroys only rapdily multiplying cells.   Most cancers are 
of this type, but prostate cancers, even aggressive ones, aren't. 
Prostate cancer cells multiply relatively slowly.  Chemotherapy may do 
some good, but it will probably also produce unpleasant side effects. 
It is really up to your father and his doctors to decide whether on 
balance the advantages outweigh the risks.


Perhaps your father should consider applying for inclusion in a clinical 
trial of one of the new methods of treating advanced prostate cancer now 
underway.

> Thanks,
>
> Andy Lee