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The other C word - extra care needed in the current COVID situation?

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User

Posted 29 Mar 2020 at 17:32

Highly variable. With mine the MDT meeting was London based and they meet monthly. So I had to wait pretty much a month due to timings of initial diagnosis etc. The guidance from the MDT was the same as my local consultant with active surveillance thought to be safe the other recommended option due to young age was surgery if I wanted to go down that route. As it turned out surgery was prudent as active surveillance would probably not have resulted in a good outcome for me.

Be mindful that in most cases post surgery histology in ~44% of cases sees the Gleason score upgraded. In my case it was thought to be 60-70% likely of an upgrade from Gleason 6. And indeed that was the case 3+4.

User

Posted 02 Apr 2020 at 14:19

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

If those 4 men were being diagnosed right now, the stats would be rather different. The one who went into hospital for surgery would be far less likely to still be here in 10 years than any of the others, who would be either self isolating at home or possibly venturing out for a hormone injection and then staying safely at home.

Erm - do you mean as a result of more likely to be exposed to CVD or because surgery is rubbish?

User

Posted 02 Apr 2020 at 16:52

I read it as meaning risking exposure to Covid by having surgery.

Still nothing from the MDT. We have rang the uro dept and get a message saying we'll get back to you so don't leave multiple messages.... Yes well people wouldn't leave multiple messages if indeed you got back to them.

Not even had the results from the bone scan which was 2 weeks back.

We just want to talk to someone about treatment timetables. Appreciate it's probably mayhem with doctors from all departments pitching in. It says on their website that cancer treatments are still going ahead but I have my doubts. He's said that he just wants to start HT to hold the thing up somewhat and then decide what treatment is best after this dies down. But there's literally no one to talk to.

User

Posted 02 Apr 2020 at 18:13

"I read it as meaning risking exposure to Covid by having surgery."

Surely the major part of the risk is going into a hospital for any reason at present and all surgery has been postponed. And doesn't RT damage your immune system?

I've still not had the results of my post-op prostate biopsy, but then I was told to expect 6-8 weeks and I'm not quite at 4.

And I've still not had the results of my skin cancer scan from November.

User

Posted 02 Apr 2020 at 21:09

18 months I was a T3B (was T2 pre surgery) - had RP and no complications other than some ED. PSA undetectable at 18 months. I am 63.

My wife and I are religiously following govt advice and doing the whole isolation thing.

I didn’t go through all this to let some grubby little covid bug get me!!! My neighbours have been fantastic. Only complaint, TV is crap and we are desperately waiting for spring to come. My hospital has been great (Marsden/Epsom) and suggested I delay my next blood test which was due in a couple of weeks until the peak is over.

There is absolutely no need to risk getting this bug - a good 20 sec soapy wash as regularly as possible especially if you’ve been in public places.

User

Posted 03 Apr 2020 at 01:51

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Erm - do you mean as a result of more likely to be exposed to CVD or because surgery is rubbish?

Sorry, I meant as a result of being in hospital and therefore at increased risk of being exposed to the virus but also because there is clearly going to be a shortage of ventilators and ICU / HDU beds so if it goes wrong, there is no guarantee that the hospital staff would be able to keep the patient alive. There is also going to be a significant impact on community health care provision for the foreseeable future.

We know that in many areas, operating theatres and recovery rooms have been converted to ICU / HDU rooms so it is a brave person that decides to go for non-emergency surgery right now, I think.

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 04 Apr 2020 at 12:16

Finally had a letter this morning. It said they were changing his face to face appointment on the 15th April to a phone one on the same day.

Great, except he didn't have an appointment on 15 th in the first place...or any other day for that matter. Some sort of cock up but we are happy that we have some sort of contact and an appointment on 15th.

So we will see....surgery when this is over or HT/RT. Either way, he's going to push for HT to start asap to halt things.

User

Posted 04 Apr 2020 at 15:36

I feel very sorry for many, many cancer patients at the moment and those with other life-limiting illnesses or long term health conditions. Whilst I fully understand the need to make all the resources available for those suffering from Covid19 and those treating them. I fear there will be another humanitarian crisis occurring with the cancellations of hospital consultations, scans etc.

I had a scan on January 12th on my lower back I understood I was having my pelvis done as well at the same time as per the musculoskeletal specialist's request. I was due to go back to see the specialist on 31st March but the appointment was cancelled and I had a telephone appointment instead and was told that for some reason the pelvis wasn't done and I would have to wait now until the present crisis was over. I'm not too worried even though I have had colon cancer myself and have ongoing screening for an atypical enchondroma in my femur, but for many patients, it must be so stressful.

Some days you just have to create your own sunshine......

User

Posted 04 Apr 2020 at 17:53

My next appt with the oncologist is scheduled for 6 May, when we're supposed to be discussing the timetable for my EBRT. Given the current situation I'm expecting both the appt and the EBRT itself to be postponed, maybe for months. Haven't heard yet but then we've had no post here for quite a while as the local sorting office has a lot of staff off sick. Obviously my HT is continuing so I'm not badly off compared to others. Would have been nice to get the EBRT under way but these are crazy times for everyone. Stay safe all.

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