Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

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Pattayamale
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Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Pattayamale »

One thing as some men as we get older we don’t like to talk about is the chance that as we age we may get diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Several of my friends have been through this here in Pattaya and unfortunately some of died from this disease. Of course we all will die of something someday, but if there is something that will allow a longer quality of life, why not check.

Just over a year ago on a rare visit I made to the USA, I went to see my doctor just to say hello, and get a quick office physical. He noticed that my PSA was high, something I knew for almost 3 years. Bumrungrad Hospital had done a Prostate biopsy then and since they did not find any cancer cells, felt I could have prostatitis. So they gave me medication for prostatitis which I took daily for the time prescribed.

Since I had decide to go to Australia for an extended time, I did not get checked again. One reason was that I thought the medicine given would have cleared up prostatitis. Another was that in Australian a simple doctor’s appointment is expensive. But now back in the USA for my short visit with still a high PSA my doctor scheduled another biopsy of the Prostate. The result was a very slow growth cancer cell and the “treatment” was “watchful waiting”. To me it was “watchful worrying” so after my return to Pattaya I made an appointment with an urologist at Bumrungrad who referred me to the Horizon Cancer Center at Bumrungrad where I met Dr. Aprichart, a Prostate Cancer specialist. He is fabulous! (Other expats in Pattaya also have seen him and speak very highly of him)

He took over an hour explaining all my options. He used slides and charts to make sure I understood the options. Then did his own assessment based on past information from Bumrungrad and Cedars-Sinai from Los Angele. His opinion was I could do watchful waiting, but since all the factors pointed to a higher risk for Prostate Cancer because of my age (if I was 5 or 10 years older he would agree with waiting as I would possibly die from something else by then) and current blood results, he suggested I consider Brachytherapy

That consisted of 25 treatments over a period of 5 weeks of Radiation therapy as an outpatient, then two high dose treatment where I would be an inpatient.

Since insurance co-payment was a concern, he even suggested going back to the USA for the treatment. This convinced me he was not just interested in making money for Bumrungrad.

The reason for this post is not to just reveal my situation but to recommend a hospital or a doctor, which I do strongly. But to suggest that even though PSA is not the only indicator of possible Prostate Cancer, it may be used to indicate that those of us growing older have it checked. There is a blood work clinic off Third Road past Soi 17 by the Royal Bombay Suites that will test your PSA for less than 400 baht in Pattaya. Maybe another poster can supply the name and better address
Pattayamale
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Undaunted
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Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Undaunted »

PCT Laboratory service..........not only psa but most every blood test and urine test..professional and cheap.
I had a mild urinary tract infection and went to Dr, Yassak who is certified by the American Board of Surgeons he is at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital Sundays only......he was wonderful. Also though unrelated if you need a dermatologist I reccomend Dr.Anna she did her residency in California and she is spot on.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
puan
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Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by puan »

Undaunted.....where is PCT Laboratory service located? Bangkok?

BTW....totally agree about Dr. Anna...she is top-notch.
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Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Undaunted »

puan wrote:Undaunted.....where is PCT Laboratory service located? Bangkok?

BTW....totally agree about Dr. Anna...she is top-notch.
The one I went to is in the area between 3rd road and Sunee plaza...The is also a branch in BKK.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
dorayme

Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by dorayme »

In Pattaya, blood testing done at Lifecare Laboratory, 247/31-32 Moo 10, Pattaya Sai 3. 038-488048, email: [email protected], http://lifecare.siam2web.com
Jogger

Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Jogger »

OP: Commendable that you raise this important subject and share your experience with helpful advice. Same for the other posters.
Oliver

Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Oliver »

Every man should take the PSA test. After an older brother and my father were diagnosed I was aware that I was likely, one day, to fall victim and have been having a blood test every year and shall continue to do so. There has been some discussion over the past few years as to whether the test is worthwhile; sometimes the anxiety it generates is damaging and, more importantly, there are doubts as to its efficacy.
Nevertheless, an annual test is wise. The PSA level increases as we age and so the doctor will observe not just the result but results over a period of years to judge whether the increase is too pronounced. If prostate cancer is diagnosed after symptoms are experienced, the range of options for treatment is significantly reduced.
By the way, I am told that all men, if they live into advanced old-age will have prostate cancer; it is a form of ageing. My father died AT 92; the cancer did not contribute to his death.
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Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by Smiles »

Pattayamale wrote:" ... But to suggest that even though PSA is not the only indicator of possible Prostate Cancer, it may be used to indicate that those of us growing older have it checked ... "
I also am very grateful to you for starting this important topic.
I agree wholeheartedly with both your personal story and the general warnings to ALL men in their 60's for sure . . . and then also those in their 40's who should insist that their doctors do a PSA blood test during routine physicals.

The only point I would disagree with you on is the quote above (although it is a gentle disagreement in the sense that you certainly mention "possible cancer").

A PSA blood test is never a test for prostate cancer. A PSA 'number' is only an indicator of one's prostate becoming enlarged. It does not show any form of cancer itself, but it certainly indicates a necessity to "get serious" regarding the possibilties: i.e. an enlargement caused from 'simply old age' ("kinda benign") all the way up to prostate cancer ("pretty damn serious") ... and everything in between.

At that point a Urologist will normally will advise you of your options according to the PSA 'number'. The options are anywhere from "watching & waiting" on the one end, to a biopsy on the other.

Ten years ago, during a regular physical, I received a PSA blood test result which was quite high.
I was sent to a Urologist who advised me to sit tight and watch-&-wait. I did the 'sitting' for 2 years.
Although the PSA number never went higher, it never went lower either. At that point the doctor recommended a prostate biopsy. I did so and the result was --thankfully -- negative.
Over the years I've had two more biopsies and one MRI ... each returning negative results.

My Urologist, at that point, suggested I put myself back on "watch&wait" queue, at least as long as the PSA tests come back as flat-lined. I take these tests once a year during my month long annual trips.
Cheers ... ( and just one more reason why I love living in Thailand )

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Re: Something some wish not to discuss Prostate Cancer

Post by mahjongguy »

I have my own history regarding this, and it's similar to Smiles'.

I'm in no position to give medical advice to anyone but there's one point that's worth knowing. Since an enlarged prostate will give a high PSA reading, the urologist should then look at a reading called Free PSA. It's a percentage, and a low number makes it likely that the enlargement is benign.

The recent controversy about PSA testing revolves around the fact that many doctors prescribe biopsies based on PSA number alone, and the result is negative in most cases. This is not just a waste of money; biopsies are unpleasant and can have distressing complications.
Rainwalker

Ten Years Ago…

Post by Rainwalker »

Thoughts on prostate cancer from a Canadian biker

(All this took place almost a decade ago)

The only thing worse than being sick is having everyone know you are sick. The only thing worse than having cancer is having everyone know you have cancer. It becomes who you are.

That's probably the reason that I hadn’t told my family of birth that I was diagnosed with prostate cancer the previous year and had that confirmed by a biopsy that year.

My family seems to derive great joy in defining each other by illness (or situation) and when I talk to my mother, one of the first thing she asks is about my health. This is beyond a casual "How are you?", it is a request for a detailed wellness report and I'm then informed about how the rest of the family, and her friends, is/are doing health-wise and in every particular.

While I'm sure that this questioning demonstrates real concern, it also seems to be an attempt to mark something as outside of normal, and by doing so, give permission to talk about it (it is now news) or at least to shake heads slowly side to side and, while doing so, make "Tsk, tsk" sounds .

So to prevent a round of head shaking and concern, I took care of things before I told them.

Last month, as an outpatient, I was treated with 122 rice sized radioactive seeds which they stuck into my perineum in a procedure called brachytherapy. It was really no fuss, no muss, no bother and all was well...

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A few days later, still 10 years ago, I started a 75-day motorcycle tour…

Perhaps it is my misspent youth (Teenage Mastermind Apprehended in West Kildonan, the headline blared) that keeps me from being comfortable with authority. For the most part, my interaction with government tops out at taxes and voting but every now and again, I gingerly put myself in the clutches of the bureaucracy and hope that the full force of "the banality of evil" will not crush me.

The ability to cross the international border into the USA is entirely in the hands of the US Department of Homeland Security, the 3rd largest department of the US government and one not known as a bundle of laughs. Indeed, they literally enforce the law as they understand it and have absolute power to refuse anyone entry into the USA for any reason.

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So it was with trepidation that I rode up to the Peace Arch Border Crossing near Vancouver and opened my helmet's visor to hear a nameless guardian tell me that I had set off the radiation detectors and ask if I had recently had a medical procedure. I answered affirmatively, and as I moved the motorcycle to the radiation scanning machine as directed, I saw that there were now 5 Border Guards, hands on their firearms, moving in my direction.

The fear of atomic terrorism was apparent.

Under their instruction, I dismounted and accompanied them into the building where I explained my recent operation and handed to them my passport, my driver's license and my "Radioactive Implant" card which stated that I had received 2850 MBq of radioactive Iodine 125, whatever that means.

They escorted me into a small concrete room and told me to sit.

Sit I did and, after 15 or 20 minutes, they escorted me into another room where they told me that my motorcycle was "clean" and not carrying radioactive material. They then scanned me with a Geiger counter. The clicking sound was minor when they began to move it down from my head, increased in frequency as it scanned closer to my midsection, and reached a frantic crescendo when pointed directly at my nether regions.

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Unfortunately, while the reading showed I was radioactive, it was unable to determine the nature of the substance which triggered the clicking so it was back to the small room for an additional 20 minutes.

Then back to the testing room for another scan with a new Geiger counter with the same result.

Back to the room and 20 minutes later to the testing room and a new Geiger counter with yet another identical result.

They could confirm that I was "hot" but not from what kind of fissionable material.

While this "to and fro" went on, they had a team searching Interpol, FBI, CIA, the RCMP, and CSIS (who have a toll-free number, 1-800-420-5805, so you can report information regarding activities which could pose a threat to Canada's national security) and other agencies who are watching all of us all of the time, making sure I wasn't a nefarious international criminal terrorist smuggling material to build an atomic bomb into America.

(Thank Buddha, they missed that fracas in Latvia.)

Well, after calling my radiation oncologist and confirming what I had told them, and waiving their requirement to send me to another facility to conduct more scans and confirm what we had told them, or failing that, denying me entry into the USA entirely, they handed back my motorcycle keys, wished me well on my American tour, and sent me on my way.
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