I Have Some Questions About My Dad...

My dad is in his mid 50's and has recently told me that he has prostate cancer, and I'm just looking for a little information from somebody who knows more than I do, which is not much, as I am basically just beginning my research. He is not very forthcoming with information about his condition but here are the facts as I know them:

January '06 psa level - 3. March or April - 33.
Now (June) - 58. He has stage 4 cancer. It is in his bones. The hormones didn't work. He is going to start radiation. It is possibly in his lymphnodes (?) (sp?)

For as long as I can remember he has been a big guy, 250# or so, is now down to 170#

Like I said, he doesn't come right out and say much, and doesn't want to worry me or be a bother or whatever, but he's a big part of my life, and I love him very much and quite frankly there are some things I just can't ask him.

I know his stats are bad, but how bad? Scale of 1 to 10? How long can I expect him to be around? What can I do? Am I at risk? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Tony

Those are tough questions to answer, Tony. I'm not sure anyone can answer them to your satisfaction, but the Doc(s) in charge of his case would be the most qualified to do so. Perhaps you could just be frank with your dad, tell him your concerns, and ask if he would be willing to share with you what the doc has told him? As far as the question re your risk, as far as I know the only way you would be at risk is from a heredity standpoint (of course prostate cancer is not infectious), and if your dad has PC your chances of getting it are increased some. Ask your Doc about that and if you should start doing PSA's now, if you haven't already. If you need more info about stages of PC, you can obtain loads of info off the internet. Just go to Google, type in "Prostate Cancer Stages" and start your own research. Good luck to you both.
Pat K

Tony,

Was the your dad's diagnosis in Jan/06' his most recent? The reason why I ask is because my father was diagnosed around the same time. He had surgery to remove his prostate in April but it was discovered that the cancer had spread to his two right lymph nodes. Currently, he is finishing up his 7th week out of an 8-week radiation treatment. He is also being treated with hormone therapy simultaneously. I have been through and through with research...my dad is a huge part of my life as well so I needed to know as much about it as possible. It's good to know the basics so that you know what to ask about. It's also a great idea to confront your dad and be more proactive with his prognosis by developing a relationship with his doctor/medical staff. I sometimes find it awkward to approach my dad with this...it can be a very touchy subject because we both don't want the other to worry. But it is important to be firm because you will want to know what the best/most effective way you can support your father through this ordeal. Remember that even through there is a lot of information/stereotypes/general statistics about this cancer, every case is different. Try to be as positive as possible(pray/meditate)-everyday of life is a gift, not just for your dad and mine but for all of us. Best wishes to you both...and if you need any legit reading material please let me know.

Sam