Prostate Cancer Questions

1. What is a dangerous # for a man's PSA to be, before becoming prostate cancer?

   The dangerous number for a PSA before you worry about prostate cancer varies depending on the man's age. The number usually considered normal for a PSA is 4. It is important to understand that as a man ages, his prostate enlarges. A larger prostate will cause a higher PSA. So for a younger person, say below 60 years old, the PSA should be well below 4...
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2. Which foods improve blood counts?

   If your blood count is low, there can be many things that cause that to happen. You can try eating a diet rich in iron (meats), but you should also add fruits and vegetables for folate and vitamin B12. However, improving your diet will only help if your low blood count is due to iron, B12, or folate deficiency...
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3. How soon after a biopsy should another PSA test be taken to check levels?

   tHE FREQUENCY OF 'checking psa level after biopsy' VARIES FROM CENTER TO CENTER. THE FIRST QUESTION RELATES TO THE INITIAL LEVEL OF PSA, THE PERCENT OF FREE PSA, THE DOUBLING TIME OF PSA AND THE RESULT OF THE INITIAL BIOPSY. IF THE BIOPSY WAS NEGATIVE AND THE RISK FACTORS FOR PROSTATE CANCER IS HIGH, THAN MORE FREQUENT PSA IS INDICATED...
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4. What do you do after getting a high PSA level back?

   Your father needs to see a urologist for an evaluation of the test results. With both of his brothers having prostate cancer, he is definitely in the "high risk" category for developing prostate cancer himself. I would get him to schedule an urology appointment soon. Good luck.
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5. How do you care for someone who had their prostate removed?

   Caring for a loved one whose prostate has been removed can be very tricky, as there are emotional as well as physical elements to it. Physically, you need to care for him as anyone who has had a major operation. Make sure he has plenty of rest and fluids, and his pain is managed...
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6. What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer?

   Early-stage prostate cancer often doesn't have many symptoms, so many men don't find out they have it until the cancer has spread, making it more difficult to treat. This is unfortunate, because prostate cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in American men, after skin cancer.
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7. Is it normal to wake often to use the bathroom?

   Yes, but to find a solution to this sleep problem -- officially known as nocturia -- you'll need to start by identifying and treating the underlying health conditions contributing to it.
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8. Do testicular lumps mean cancer?

   Lumps are not always cancer, but this is a concerning finding. Many times, testicular lumps are found by a partner, so it is good that you noticed it. I would ask your boyfriend if he has ever noticed this lump before, or if he ever had it checked by someone...
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9. Will a PSA level ever be undetectable after prostate cancer?

   It sounds like your husband has undergone multiple types of treatment for his diagnosis of prostate cancer.
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10. Why does my father need chemotherapy "indefinitely" and what does this mean?

    Most likely the doctors are suggesting chemotherapy indefinitely because it seems to be keeping the cancer from growing, but is not making it shrink. I would guess they are worried that if they stopped the chemotherapy for more than a short while (chemo holiday), it would allow the cancer to grow and possibly spread...
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11. What else can I do for incontinence after prostate surgery?

    I would suggest the next step would be to continue to meet with your physician and review your situation.
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12. Is dying from cancer treatment worse than dying from cancer?

    As a general question, this is very hard to answer since different cancers behave differently. Cancer treatment can prolong life in many cases for some period of time but the question is at what cost to quality of life? For some people, the cost is well worth the benefits...
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13. What is the life expectacy with stage 4 prostate and liver cancer?

    Life expectancy with stage 4 prostate cancer varies greatly because stage 4 means distant metastases and they are often in the bone. These can be very painful but usually do not immediately affect length of life. You wrote that your husband had mets in the liver which is probably more serious...
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14. How do I get my father, who has prostate cancer, to accept help from others?

    This is one of the issues that forces you and your dad to acknowledge the reversal of roles that's taken place because of his cancer and your caregiving. Your father is probably used to giving orders and having you do what he says. But now you're the one in charge, and he doesn't like it.
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15. What has caused the pain in my feet after cancer treatment?

    This type of severe pain is usually due to nerve damage. It can be caused either by radiation or some toxin in the blood like chemotherapy but it is unusual after radiation for prostate cancer.
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16. What should we expect after dad's prostate surgery?

    His individual treatment plan will depend on what stage his prostate cancer is post surgery. Based on the staging, he will fall into one of the following treatment options and one of the choices could be watchful waiting.
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17. How does Flomax treat an enlarged prostate?

    When using Flomax to treat an enlarged prostate, quickcare.org says that it helps by shrinking the prostate by relaxing the muscles inside the gland. By doing so, the gland releases pressure and urinary issues start to heal. If medication does not work, surgery is needed.
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18. Could my husband's post-cancer digestive issues be Chron's disease?

    My husband has some of the same problems.His Doctor has ordered a CT scan of the abdoman to try and figure this out.He has also had a radical prostetectomy and all of the same symptoms as your husband and he is almost 3 years out on rp surgery.He is 62 years old...
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19. What is aggressive prostate cancer?

    Prostate cancer is considered "aggressive" when it grows rapidly, spreads to other organs outside of the prostate, and fails to be slowed by standard therapies. When chemotherapy alone does not prove effective against a more aggressive prostate cancer then there is always the option of applying a more aggressive treatment regimine...
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20. Will cranberry juice prevent prostate cancer?

    Apparently there may be some connection between cranberry juice and prostate cancer. There has been at least ones study that showed that cranberries can kill prostate cancer cells in the laboratory.
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