My Grandpa Has Cancer

I just found out my grandpa has prostate cancer. I don't know much about it, but we're all hoping things work out for the better. He's not having surgery until the 6th of Janruary......

Has anyone had experience with this? I've never known anyone with it and I don't know how bad of a cancer it is. They don't think it has spread any where else. I just hope it hasn't! He just lost his brother less than 6 months ago, what a blow to him and our family

Send my grandpa vibes please

If it's cought fairly early- there are some good treatment options for it from what i understand. I will keep him in my prayers that they're able to help him and he makes a smooth recover!

I'm so sorry to hear this. He will be in my prayers. Please keep us updated on him.

Awe I am so sorry to hear this hun! If it didnt spread like Nikki said then there are many treatment options! I will be sure to keep you and your family in my prayers and here are some vibes for you guys that everything goes well and your grandpa has a quick recovery

I heard years ago that my papa had it, and my aunt said she was feeding him almonds or pumpkin seeds or something that had certain characteristics that could slow the cancer down. Obviousely it is something i don't talk to him about, but he is 87 and still here. He hasn't had any surgery for it as far as i know.

if they caught it early, he would be ok, I hope that everything goes well for him..

Prostate cancer in older men is less aggressive than when found in men 50 years old and under. Hope that helps you. for your Grandfather.

What you actually need to find out is his PSA number. Good numbers are like 1-2-3. More monitoring is done when the numberis like 8-9 or above. In addition many older men I can't remember the exact age its like about 75 yrs old have prostate "cancer".

My dad had a high PSA number a few years ago. He had a minor operation for radiation seeding. His PSA number did go back down. He is monitored 2 x/yr?? His PSA number had crept back up and several options were discussed and earlier this yr he had minor surgery to remove the source of testoserone. Other surgeries actually remove the prostate gland but sometimes incontinence occurs thats why dad didn't want that surgery. Its actually fairly common and monitoring the PSA number can be a control method.

WE had a friend that had this and had successful surgery and he is cancer free now...it all depends on the stage of the cancer and whether or not it spread...since the they are waiting to do the surgery till January maybe there is no hurry and it's in an early stage. Our friend had no treatments at all after the surgery. Many prayers for your Grandpa

Thanks everyone! My grandpa is 71 and he just retired. He has always been in really good health other than skin cancer, he was out in the sun a lot. I'm hoping they caught it early. The surgery is during my break so I will probably be at the hospital with all the family.

My grandpa had that about last august (RIP) so I hope yours gets better soon, sending loads of vibes

Prayers are with your grandfather and family.

Oh, I'm so sorry Sending many vibes for him

I'm sorry to hear that. for him

...a bad new my friend....
I´m so sorry about it....

for you and for him...... ...

I'm so sorry Many for him & your family

Do you know what type of surgery he's going to have? There are many ways of treating prostate cancer. Most prostate cancers are detected incidentally, during other type of exams (usually a digital rectal exam) or by an elevated PSA blood test. Usually, once prostate cancer is suspected, the doctor will schedule a prostate biopsy. This is done in the O.R. with an ultrasound guided needle. Anywhere from 12 to 24 fine guage needle aspirations are done throughout the prostate gland. The number of biopsies that come back positive give the doctor the Gleason scale, and tell the doctor what type of cancer cell is there and how invasive the cancer is.

Here's some very informative links about prostate cancer screening, as well as what the Gleason scale numbers mean:

http://www.henryfordhealth.org/body....1159#screening
http://www.henryfordhealth.org/17800.cfm

There are many different ways to treat prostate cancer.
http://www.henryfordhealth.org/body.cfm?id=39166

Depending on the type of cancer cells that are found, some doctors will just do screening, and watch the PSA for elevations.

Surgery for prostate cancer is called a Radical Prostatectomy, and includes taking out the pelvic lymph nodes to make sure that there's been no spread. This can be done either laparoscopically or an open procedure.

Radiation therapy can be done by either external beam or Brachytherapy. External beam therapy is done on an outpatient basis and x-rays are directed at the tumor to make it shrink. Brachytherapy involves a surgical procedure that implants tiny radioactive seeds, the size of a grain of rice, into the prostate gland to shrink it.

Hormone therapy can involve orchiectomy (removal of the testicles) or injections of anti-androgen agents, lutinizing agents or androgen suppression agents.

Chemotherapy isn't usally very effective for prostate cancer that is still inside the prostate gland. It is used when the prostate cancer has spread (metastasized.)


I'm sure this has been way too much information. That being said, most prostate cancers in older men are very slow growing and fairly easy to treat.
I will certainly keep your grandpa in my prayers!

Originally Posted by Pookie-poo

I'm sure this has been way too much information. That being said, most prostate cancers in older men are very slow growing and fairly easy to treat.
I will certainly keep your grandpa in my prayers!

Click to expand...

No, thanks a lot. You have a lot of knowledge about this subject! I feel better knowing that it's probably not an aggressive type cancer . He's going under the knife, so it must be that surgery that you talked about.

He did get a biopsy and that's when they told him he needed surgery.