Prostate Cancer - thanks Agent Orange

[Steve Valentine]

Got my biopsy results yesterday and postive for cancer.  I have been getting checked at least once a year for better than 10 years.  Last check was 6 months before this one.  I had reviously had  biopsy and they were negative.  Will start rediation treatment in the next weel\k or so..  I you don't currently get checked you may want to start. Got to catch it early before ot spreads.  Looks like good ole Agent Orange may get all of us.   Anyway take this for what it's worth.  GET CHECKED OUT!!!  


Steve Valentine

[Michael Walsh]

Please get a second opinion. During a routine  rectal exam approx. two years ago the doctor thought he felt something unusual . After a biopsy it was confirmed by John Hopkins that I had a very small piece of cancer in one area out of 13 checked. The doctor referred me to a  oncologist who wanted to start 9 weeks of radiation almost immediately. I went to another dr and he wanted to do the same thing. Finally I went to a Protron therapy center which uses a less intrusive kind of radiation and they said I didn't have to rush into it and could start July 2014. I was just about to start when my girlfriend and her sister talked me into seeing a specialist in the field who worked at NYC  Mount Sinai Hospital . To be honest I really didn't want to go I just did it to satisfy my girlfriend.
     I am so glad I went. This dr.told me that the cancer I had was so small that he recommended what they call Watch and Wait. He said that if he did a  autopsy on 1000 men my age, 67 at the time, 40 percent would have the same amount I had. He said he is following approx 130 patients with the same Gleason Score and that after 5 years only 7 percent needed further treatment. My case is a little unusual because my PSA is only 1.4
      I don't pretend to be a doctor and in your case immediate treatment may be the case, however, I recommend a second opinion from another doctor, especially one working in a teaching hospital, where it is not all about money.
     I wish you good luck.
Michael Walsh
Ving Long 1967

[Steve Valentine]

I came up postive for cancer in 10 out of 12 samples.   That is pretty convincing.

Steve

[Michael Walsh]

    I guess it is. Good luck.

[kid purington]

Steve,..I was told by the doc who did surgery for my prostate cancer that it was from AO...He told me to file a claim for AO thru the VA...less than 30 days after file'n I heard back from the VA...giving me 100% for AO,...I already was/am 100% total & permanent thru the VA for other Nam claims...so it was a surprise to me...So file a claim is what I'm say'n to yah if you have not done so already Wolf...And I do wish you well with your treatments ....and I agree AO has taken many of my Nam brothers....

[Howard Jacobs ROH]

I have prostrate issues too... back sometime in the 90's I had a biopsy done and I have one cell that is border line the doc said... not cancer and not healthy but nothing that could be done right now.  I since have had 2 more biopsy's done and still the same and the last was around 2001 approx.  When I first got the news I filed a claim... when the results came back the a-hole rep behind the desk told me not to come back until I had cancer... WTF!!  It took all I had to not reach across the desk for his neck... so I just got up and walked out. So now my numbers have been a little above the norm and my VA doc sent me for a consult, that doc said that they couldn't do much more than a digital exam because of me being on blood thinners they wouldn't want to do a biopsy. Doc wasn't too concerned but wanted to keep a watch on it through PSA.  So now I'm in limbo wondering what the hell is going to happen next... I need to get the heart issue taken care of first and go from there.. if the heart goes then I won't need to worry about my prostrate...lol.  

But I too recommend that you all get it checked through the simple PSA blood test.

[Michael La Bella (ROH)]

all you guys I am praying hard for all of you  hang in there I want to see all of you at the reunion

[Al Mears]

That really sucks Steve.  I've had non-Hodgkins lymphoma -- also Agent Orange connected -- twice, in 1995 and 2010.  The point is that there is life after a diagnosis so keep the faith and make sure you have a good doctor.  Best wishes.

Al
Seawolf-16

[Mke Dobson "Ten Bears"]

I just talked with a friend that had the robot surgery ------ he showed me his scars --- not bad , a 2" over his navel, and about 5 more of the 1/2" variety ---- he had his done at Mayo in Rochester ---- My Bro in Law is facing the same one in Ames Iowa in Sept ------- Jim reports that he is doing fine and he sure looked good -------- best wishes Steve !!

[Howard Jacobs ROH]

Good luck Steve... prayers go out.

I've had about 3-4 biopsy's done since the late 90's I think.... filed a claim but tests came back that I was border line in one part with no treatment so I just have to re-open it I guess if it goes sour.

I keep regular testing done and I think the VA wants to do something but can't right now because of my blood thinners for another issue.  They will watch number for now and go from there.