Advice on stage 4 prostate cancer
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* To protect your identity do not use your full name.
1 posts since
20 May 2019
Hello everone, this is my first post
I come from an incredibly proud and private family so please do not think I am cold by my lack of details.
Someone very close to me was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer that had metastasized to the bones and lymph nodes. They have been on hormonal therapy and are receiving chemo again ( I believe its for ‘resistant’ cancers). This person has not taken the diagnosis or treatment well (if that’s even possible).
To me they were the strongest person you would meet both physically and mentally and I think as a result that’s why the change the chemo treatment has done to their body have hit them so hard because they’re constantly talking about how they “used to be”
We had some recent unrelated health scares which caused even more pain. These were sorted but due to how long they were in hospital they got a bunch of scans done. PSA is 8-10, everything is clear although due to a recent infection they cannot take their last 2 cycles of chemo. ‘Clinically’ they seem to be doing very well, but pain wise and fatigue wise they are essentially bedridden. I believe depression is a major factor too but no matter how hard I try they won’t address the issue. They are supported by a loving family, which rips my heart to pieces because I often see then suffering too, and I feel helpless. The cancer patient is the most generous and loving person but since chemo at times they do take out their frustration on the family by snapping (not as much at all anymore after I couldn’t deal with seeing it which caused me to confront them. They genuinely didn’t seem to know they were doing it) overdoing it on pain medication that doesn’t work to the point it makes members of the family cry(they are now much better with this), and refusing basic things that could help until we end up fighting (e.g refusing to drink water after not having any water for an entire day!!)
My questions are as follows:
1-are the survival rates for this type of cancer accurate? We were told overall 90%+ of prostate cancer sufferers survive,then told its 30% for stage 4 and closer to 3% for bone metastasis. Is this right? The person I am refering to seems to be making excellent progress, they even started taking mirtazapine which has dealt with hot flushes completely! This was the biggest issue before the last set of chemo sessions but now the pain and fatigue are ruining their life. It terrifys me if that statistic is correct
2-what other treatments, even private are available? Our oncologist doctor is horrible and the patient finds it so stressful to talk to them. The doctor has made multiple mistakes in treatment and has failed to turn up to appointments. When they do turn up the just give an academic lecture on the diesease or treatments.
The patient hasn’t recieved any radiotherapy, just chemo and hormone therapy. Even the medicine that dealt with their hotflushes was given by the pain specialist. We didn’t even know there was such a thing as a pain specialist until recently we assumed that fell under our oncologist.
We have read about LU177 in London which looks promising. I don’t think the person I care about will be able to take chemo again
Any help would be great. I don’t have anyone to talk to about this except the other family member who looks after this person and getting some of this off my chest has helped a lot
977 posts since
4 Jan 2019
Hi wish I’m an advanced prostate cancer survivar my cancer went from prostate to the lymph nodes then pelvis, spine, ribs and one lung, I was supposed to have 10 sessions but to many side effects only had 6 that was over three years ago. Psa 1581 gleason 8 stage 4, t3b living on hormone therapy injection and tablets was working till December last year have to look after my disabled wife 24/7 i m 68 in June if not for wife I’d still be working ( metal fabrication and welding) I can give you all the big medical words if you want,. Eg adenocarcinoma,
Billy
P.s cemo was docapeptyl
136 posts since
8 Jul 2016
Hello WishingEveryoneWell,
I am sorry to hear about this. My dad was diagnosed with stage 4 postate cancer about three years ago now. I would say to not focus on statistics quite so much because they aren’t always accurate. And cancer can affect people differently. I have heard of people who have lived 20 years with stage 4 prostate cancer. It is best to be prepared, but you have to realize that people with the same cancer can be affected in completely different ways, and the treatments available will wor for some, but not work for others.
The survival rate is normally after a 5-year period, so 30 percent of people diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer will survive five years. The survival rate drastically decreases once the cancer is in the bones because there isn’t much that can be done. It is no longer curable. There are a number of treatments available, so once one stops working there are normally others that can be tried. My dad hasn’t experienced a huge increase in fatigue or depression, and he has been on treatment for three years now. He hasn’t done chemo yet, as where we live the chemo is one of the last options, BUT I now different places use different treatment plans.
I am not from the UK, so I can’t answer the last question for you. I hope you are able to get some relief. Take care. I hope some of this advice has helped.
Advice on stage 4 prostate cancer
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