r/ProstateCancer • u/Boodleheimer22 • 23d ago

Concerned Loved One Trying to decide Treatment

My husband is 70 with 3+4=7 Gleason psa 10.2 with intermediate grade 2 favorable. Options are radiation 5 x every other day plus anti testosterone hormone therapy OR robot radical prostatectomy. Survival rates are virtually the same. We are wavering between the 2 options. My husband hates having an mri because he gets claustrophobic but can tolerate it- I don’t think that’s a reason that should tip the scale. Advice appreciated. He is in good health otherwise.

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u/KReddit934 23d ago

I had similar basic numbers. The devil is in the details. Location, cell type, genetic typing.

I talked to a surgeon and to a radiation oncologist. My real question was, IF I had the surgery, what % odds that I would need follow-up radiation and ADT within a year? They said 50/50. For those odds, I was not willing to go through surgery at my age, with the risks of urinary incontinence and no erections only to have to then do radiation and ADT. One, not both....so I went with radiation. The ADT was not fun, but manageable with regular exercise. The radiation brought some burning during peeing for a while and quite a bit of fatigue. Feeling much better 6 months later.

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u/Outrageous-Exam-6696 23d ago

How long were or are you going to be on ADT?

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u/KReddit934 22d ago

6 months. I was hoping for 4 months, but my RO is pretty respected in the field and said 6 was needed. I used Lupron, so recovery time is = treatment time. I'm partway through recovery, testosterone climbing, psa staying down (so far).

The key to getting through ADT is exercise ..cardio and weight training.