Prostate cancer & riding again

[slowflow]

If there are others who have recovered & are still riding, how easy was it to get back on the saddle and how long did it take, thanks in advance. Looks like a harsh implement to me at the moment.
About 10 days ago I prostate cancer surgery; my prognosis is as good as you can get with this disease.
Two sides to this coin, of course.
The negative
Will be off the bike for a minimum of 8 weeks , then the process will be slow.
Cost, there is a large out of pocket expense as I elected robotic surgery.
Recovery, temporary incontinence & impotency
The positive
I get to harass all of you to go for prostate checks; there are a few things you should know.
Prostate cancer is curable when detected early. Nerve sparing surgery has improved which means in the both continence & potency return. Only about 10% get prostate cancer, the earlier the detection the more likely the cure.
Symptoms vary; you need both PSA and the digit.
Know your family history, prostate cancer in your father before he was 60 needs greater caution & earlier checks and the bigger surprise to me was breast cancer in a parent may increase your predisposition to this cancer. Also look for repeated toilet trips, slow start or reduced flow.
There is PM if that is better for you

[The Womble]

I just wanted to wish you all the best for your recovery mate. I hope someones able to help out.
Let us know how the return comes along hey

[foo on patrol]

Hope it works out well for you as well!

I have a mate that has been through it , he was only 45. He was told to hold of for at least three months to give everything to heal up properly, and then start of very slowly.

So far all his tests have been good over the past three years, so it's fingers crossed because it was the most aggressive one there was for Prostate cancer. If he had of found out a month later, he would not be here now!

Foo

[saintdarth]

Get well as quick as possible.

I had prostate cancer surgery 3 years ago and am now on yearly check ups. All good.

Re the recovery you MUST listen to the doc, the related bladder issues following the surgery can be a bit tiring. Remember all the pelvic floor exercises they put you thru.


I think I was off the bike for 3 months and started out with VERY short easy rides. Just built up from there. You will know when you push to hard.

Good luck in the recovery period and hope all you test results show they took it all out.



PM me if you want details..........

[vitualis]

Just a note: working out who and when to test is not a simple thing. By all means talk to your regular doctor about prostate cancer but be aware that ROUTINE population screening for prostate cancer is not recommended for men of any age group.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioner guidelines:
http://www.racgp.org.au/redbook/9-7

Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand 2009 PSA Testing Policy:
http://www.usanz.org.au/usanz-2009-psa-testing-policy/

Cheers.

[slowflow]

Just a note: working out who and when to test is not a simple thing. By all means talk to your regular doctor about prostate cancer but be aware that ROUTINE population screening for prostate cancer is not recommended for men of any age group.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioner guidelines:
http://www.racgp.org.au/redbook/9-7

Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand 2009 PSA Testing Policy:
http://www.usanz.org.au/usanz-2009-psa-testing-policy/

Cheers.

I am advocating awareness and as origionally posted, if you have symptoms seek advice early.
The most important thing is that you discuss this and/or any other issues with your regular doctor.
Both references you give are good, however the more you read the more conflict there is in published information therefore the most important thing is awareness and the knowledge that medical opinion changes over time as research brings better detection, better treatment and a more holistic approach. These advances generally make life easier and provide better patient outcomes.

[vitualis]

What I am raising is the actual health policy and science behind PSA testing. There is a trend in consumer group literature to be uncritically positive for prostate cancer testing which can be harmful.

Regards.

[foo on patrol]

Do you blokes realise that, Prostate cancer is referred to by the old blokes, as the bike riders cancer, because of the high percentage amongst cyclists?? ( this is from old competitive cyclists)
I believe that you should be getting checked out from the age of 40yrs old!! A blood test will do no damage to your prostate and neither will the not so wonderful digital test.

My mate that I spoke of, wanted to be tested at the age of 40, but his doctor said no, your to young. Well guess what at the age of 45 he finally said I want the test and his PSA came back at 9.5. He then had a biopsy done and was found to be positive for the most aggressive form. As I have said earlier, a month later and he would be dead now. He also had no symptoms at all.

Foo

[vitualis]

A blood test will do no damage to your prostate...

Actually, it can. When comparing men who are screened for prostate cancer to those who are not, about 1400 men will need to be screened and 48 men treated (with radical prostatectomy) to prevent 1 additional case of prostate cancer death. PSA testing can (and does) lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. As per my first post: routine population screening is not recommended in any age group.

As for your assertion that prostate cancer is more common in cyclists, the opposite is true: http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v101/ ... 5404a.html

Regards.

[ValleyForge]

A blood test will do no damage to your prostate...

Actually, it can. When comparing men who are screened for prostate cancer to those who are not, about 1400 men will need to be screened and 48 men treated (with radical prostatectomy) to prevent 1 additional case of prostate cancer death. PSA testing can (and does) lead to overdiagnosis and overtreatment. As per my first post: routine population screening is not recommended in any age group.

As for your assertion that prostate cancer is more common in cyclists, the opposite is true: http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v101/ ... 5404a.html

Regards.

+1. Michael is spot on.

BTW: Statistically, we are better off having a colonoscopy for bowel cancer.

[arkle]

From someone working in the industry, the Free PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to Total PSA ratio is more important than the simple Total PSA concentration as a marker of malignant disease.

Also, those males who ejaculate at least 5 times per week reduce their likelihood of developing cancer of the prostate by 30%. Ejaculation does not have to be via coitis. It's thought that the frequent flushing from the prostate of the carcinogens potentially present in seminal fluid is the cause of the lowered risk.

arkle

[ValleyForge]

From someone working in the industry, the Free PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to Total PSA ratio is more important than the simple Total PSA concentration as a marker of malignant disease.

Also, those males who ejaculate at least 5 times per week reduce their likelihood of developing cancer of the prostate by 30%. Ejaculation does not have to be via coitis. It's thought that the frequent flushing from the prostate of the carcinogens potentially present in seminal fluid is the cause of the lowered risk.

arkle

With all that ejaculating it must be a great industry.

[arkle]

From someone working in the industry, the Free PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to Total PSA ratio is more important than the simple Total PSA concentration as a marker of malignant disease.

Also, those males who ejaculate at least 5 times per week reduce their likelihood of developing cancer of the prostate by 30%. Ejaculation does not have to be via coitis. It's thought that the frequent flushing from the prostate of the carcinogens potentially present in seminal fluid is the cause of the lowered risk.

arkle

With all that ejaculating it must be a great industry.

Who needs an excuse, right?

arkle

[Postman Pat]

From someone working in the industry, the Free PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to Total PSA ratio is more important than the simple Total PSA concentration as a marker of malignant disease.

Also, those males who ejaculate at least 5 times per week reduce their likelihood of developing cancer of the prostate by 30%. Ejaculation does not have to be via coitis. It's thought that the frequent flushing from the prostate of the carcinogens potentially present in seminal fluid is the cause of the lowered risk.

arkle

With all that ejaculating it must be a great industry.

Who needs an excuse, right?

arkle

I take it your not married then

[cycling_jo]

Good luck with your recovery mate!

[arkle]

I take it your not married then

That's freaky. How could you possibly know that.

arkle

[brauluver]

Also look for repeated toilet trips, slow start or reduced flow.
There is PM if that is better for you

Is that why you are called slowflow?

[moosterbounce]

It's thought that the frequent flushing from the prostate of the carcinogens potentially present in seminal fluid is the cause of the lowered risk.
arkle

It's a carginogen?! Eeeeeww!! They don't teach you that in high school.

Good luck with the recovery and hope all remains clear (and I'll nip back to the women's forum ).

[slowflow]

Also look for repeated toilet trips, slow start or reduced flow.
There is PM if that is better for you

Is that why you are called slowflow?

Well that got a chuckle. It was to do with a matten filter system.
Now I have to change my name to firehose.

[Mustang]

My mate that I spoke of, wanted to be tested at the age of 40, but his doctor said no, your to young. Well guess what at the age of 45 he finally said I want the test and his PSA came back at 9.5. He then had a biopsy done and was found to be positive for the most aggressive form. As I have said earlier, a month later and he would be dead now. He also had no symptoms at all.

Foo

You need both tests, my urologist suggests its not uncommon that men with low PSA tests can still get aggressive cancer.
My PSA is higher than normal 3.9(down on last test) & the digit & biopsy tests suggest all is normal, I have no symptoms, & do 6 monthly checks. (58yo)

[roobab]

Can someone tell me how to get 5 ejaculations a day to ward off this prostate problem?

[arkle]

Can someone tell me how to get 5 ejaculations a day to ward off this prostate problem?

A week.

Slow down, you're probably up to July 2015 by now.

arkle

[roobab]

Thanks Arkle, 5 times a week sounds a bit more reasonable.
Not wanting to make fun of the problem.
All males over 40 should get blood tests regularly, no matter what the doctors say, I think.

[walnut1]

Ok so here's the real deal with prostate cancer for those of you concerned.

No-one is suggesting screening (universal mass testing such as for TB in the 1950s) , but a PSA blood test , in conjunction with a rectal exam and assesment of other risk factors such as age and family history, and discussed with your doctor or urologist, will be able to define your risk of CaP , and allow you to decide whether you want to take it further i.e. biopsy.
Epidemiologists love the statistics, but will never see a prostate cancer patient live or die.

The number of men needed to test to save a life data are rapidly changing, and this year's data are more in keeping with the stats on mammogram testing in women. Imagine if we suggested to women to stop testing for Ca cervix or Ca breast, what do you think the response would be.

Death from prostate cancer, in those men aged 45 - 75 is not a pretty thing I can assure you.

No, cycling does not increase your risk. Yes, it is possible to have very significant prostate cancer with a normal PSA. Yes, treatments are radical and may be associated with morbidity, but if you are dead from prostate cancer, well you aren't going to be worried about erections anyway (paraphrase of a quote from Wayne Swan !)

I would be pleased to respond in this forum to other queries or hypotheses so as to allay anxiety or misinformation.

The American Urological Association recommends testing from age 40, most currently the Urological Association Of Australia and New Zealand says this :

Media Release
15 March, 2010 - For Immediate Release
Urologists reassure Australian men PSA test is best indicator for prostate cancer
Australian men should be reassured the PSA blood test conducted in conjunction with a
physical examination is the best available “flag” for the possibility of prostate cancer,
says Dr David Malouf, president of the peak body for urologists, the Urological Society of
Australia and New Zealand (USANZ).
Dr Malouf says Australian men should not be alarmed by reported comments by the
inventor of the widely-used blood test, Richard Ablin, regarding the effectiveness of the
test.
“Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and is the second
most common cause of cancer deaths in men. Prostate cancer kills more than 3000
Australian and New Zealand men each year. Many people are surprised to learn that
more men die from prostate cancer than there are women dying from breast cancer”
says Dr Malouf.
“The PSA blood test does not diagnose prostate cancer. It raises a red flag and
identifies those men who need to have prostate cancer excluded through further
investigation,” says Dr Malouf.
“This is done with a prostate biopsy, and we know the earlier we detect and treat
prostate cancer the better the outcome,” says Dr Malouf.
“Not all men diagnosed with prostate cancer will require treatment, and many slow
growing tumours can be managed with “active surveillance”’’, says Dr Malouf.

“Equally, the vast majority of men who undergo PSA testing will have a normal PSA and
can be reassured by the result.”
USANZ encourages men interested in their prostate health to have a single PSA test and
DRE performed at or beyond age 40, which is an indicator of their risk of developing
prostate cancer in the future.

[arkle]

“The PSA blood test does not diagnose prostate cancer. It raises a red flag and
identifies those men who need to have prostate cancer excluded through further
investigation,” says Dr Malouf.
“This is done with a prostate biopsy, and we know the earlier we detect and treat
prostate cancer the better the outcome,” says Dr Malouf.
“Not all men diagnosed with prostate cancer will require treatment, and many slow
growing tumours can be managed with “active surveillance”’’, says Dr Malouf.

“Equally, the vast majority of men who undergo PSA testing will have a normal PSA and
can be reassured by the result.”
USANZ encourages men interested in their prostate health to have a single PSA test and
DRE performed at or beyond age 40, which is an indicator of their risk of developing
prostate cancer in the future.

All good information but the free PSA/total PSA ratio is so much better than the standard total PSA assay as a predictor of malignant disease.

There is some evidence that the free PSA ratio (the percent of total PSA not bound to proteins) can help predict the probability of cancer, especially in patients with total PSA levels in the 'grey-area- range of 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL. This test may also be useful in early diagnosis of disease when values are between 2.5 and 4.0 ng/mL. A free-PSA test result above 25% is thought to suggest a lower risk of cancer, whereas a lower percentage suggests a higher probability of disease. This ratio may help reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies. A recent study also suggests that very low ratios of free PSA to total PSA (less than 14%) might be associated with a more aggressive form of the disease. Additional studies are ongoing.

In my field of work, all pathology laboratories measure for both free and total PSA (if requested by a doctor) and have done for at least the last half decade.

arkle