Prostate Cancer Question?

My dad was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer late July. He is serious denial and has not had surgery or taken any proactive measures against it. I am unsure of what stage he was diagnosed - the doctor who did his initial biopsy said early stage 2, the radiologist we consulted said Stage 1; however his PSA was high at 16.5. Anyways, when he went to another doctor, they said the PSA had jumped to over 26. Can anyone point me in a directioni to see what stage he's in or how long he may have?





Thanks.

Prostate Cancer Question?
I recommend the book "100 Questions %26amp; Answers about Prostate Cancer" by Pamela Ellsworth, MD. It is available from amazon.com for $19.95 in paperback. It explains in easy to understand language many of the questions you have about your dad's diagnosis.





To help answer your question; a high PSA level doesn't necessarily mean an agressive cancer is present. Prostate cancer is a very slow growing cancer. In most men the cancer can take decades to advance to a terminal stage. You said the pathologist staged the cancer at "2". This simply means the tumor is large enough to be felt during a rectal exam. It is an early stage cancer. A stage "1" cancer is one that cannot be felt, it is so small it only shows up in a biopsy. This is good news, there are many options at this stage for your dad. Many men choose to treat the cancer at this stage, and many men decide to "watch and wait" to see if the cancer shows signs of growing. This choice is valid if done in consultation with a Doctor.





Prostate cancer grows so slowly that most men die of other causes before they show any symptoms from the disease. There is controversy about whether to treat early stage cancers with radiation or surgery or if "watchful waiting" is more beneficial to the quality of life for the patient. All treatments for prostate cancer carry the risks of impotence and/or incontinence, as well as a host of other risks. Sometimes the risks outweigh the benefits. Many factors influence the decision to treat the cancer aggressively or leave it alone. The most important factors to consider are the age at diagnosis, the general health of the patient, the stage and grade of the cancer (how aggressive it is) and whether it is contained within the prostate gland, or is thought to have spread to other parts of the body.





Generally, the younger the patient, the better the outcome from early and aggressive treatment. Older patients usually don't tolerate surgery or radiation as well and have more difficulty with side-effects.





If you have a copy of your dad's pathology report you can use the information to help determine what the best course of action is for him, taking into consideration his age, health, and quality of life concerns.





I also recommend the following website to help guide you through understanding what the pathology report is really telling you. http://www.yananow.net





Good luck with you research, it will really help your dad with his decision if you are informed about all his treatment options and the risks of going untreated.
Reply:A so high PSA is a clear indicative of that cancer. If your father has not done anything on the matter he is urgent that is taken care of since 4 months it is more than sufficient to happen from a stage I to a IV, in which diminish much the probabilities of recovery of your father. Good Luck!