THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO AN UPDATE REMINDER IN 2015 SO THERE IS NO UPDATE.
I had high PSA for 20 years (since I was only 46) and had undergone four biopsies over the years with negative results for cancer. This year I switched medical providers and went through another biopsy. This time they found cancer in the right mid core and left apex and left mid involving 20% of the prostate.
After researching the different options, I chose Da Vinci Robotic surgery. The surgery was performed on March 23, 2011.
After surgery it was determined that my Gleason score was 4+3 and not 3+4. I recovered rather rapidly from the surgery, went home the next day and removed catheter a week later. Continence returned rather rapidly. However I still experience a drop or two of leakage late in the day when I am tired. No sign of sexual sensations yet even with Viagra.
After my surgery, about two weeks, I started feeling bad and developed a high temperature, and started limping because of pain on my left side, where the surgeon had removed 14 lymph nodes. I then developed a staph infection which landed me back in the hospital for another night. After a week of receiving heavy doses of antibiotics, the infection seemed to go away and I returned to a semi normal life.
After my surgery the surgeon asked me if he could send my biopsy samples to a company in New York, called Aureon Biosciences. This company does some kind of analysis on biopsy and surgery samples and comes up with probabilities of PSA and Disease progression in the next 8 years.
In my case the results were frightening; My probability for PSA progression was 38.6% and the probability of cancer returning was 96.4% ! Has anyone else done this test? [I have personally not heard of this company or their tests. As a general rule of thumb it is important to see independently reviewed published studies to justify any claims made on the Internet. There are no references to such studies that I could find. Using a nomogram such as the HAN tables produces a probability of a detectable PSA 10 years after surgery at 30% (Range 11% - 64%). Absent seeing some relevant studies, I would personally take the HAN table probability or some of the other probabilities generated using calculators listed in The Palpable Prostate over the Aureon Biosciences one.]
If I had known about this, I would not have chosen surgery. [The probabilities of progression are very similar for all therapies. There is no one therapy for which a claim of superiority of outcome can be justified by reference to independently reviewed published studies.]
I just wanted to update you guys on my situation now- four months after surgery.
My last PSA reading which occured on June 27th, 2011 was less than .10 which is the same as the first one after surgery. I am now completely pad free and have no problems with urinary control.
I also am back to all my normal activities except the big one; potency. The erections even with Viagra are not sufficient for intercourse. I am hoping that with time it will improve.
Good luck to all.
Sean
I originally had my surgery in March, 2011. Since then my PSA has remained below .01 even though I had been told that the chances of my cancer returning are about 97% within 5 years. I hope they were wrong!
They only side effect I am still experiencing is partial erections and I have not had sex since the surgery. I am not married and am embarrassed about trying it with a new partner.
I have no urinary issues and was in complete control within 4 weeks of surgery.
Wish you all a great deal of luck.
Sean Norris.
It's been over 2 years since my surgery and my PSA is still <0.10. I have no side effects and I believe that I chose the right treatment for my cancer.
The only thing that I cannot report with certainty is in regards to sexual potency, although I suspect that if I had a willing partner, I would be able to have intercourse now.
So, overall I am satisfied with the results of my procedure which was radical prostetectomy.
Wish all of you the best.
Sean
I just wanted to report that after 3 years my PSA is still .10 and I am now able to have sexual intercourse. So the surgery seems to have done very little damage.
Good luck to all.
Sean
Sean's e-mail address is: sam AT innovisiongraphics.com (replace "AT" with "@")
NOTE: Sean has not updated his story for more than 15 months, so you may not receive any response from him.
