Prostate cancer laser treatment 'truly transformative'

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Northerner

Northerner

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Surgeons have described a new treatment for early stage prostate cancer as "truly transformative".

The approach, tested across Europe, uses lasers and a drug made from deep sea bacteria to eliminate tumours, but without causing severe side effects.

Trials on 413 men - published in The Lancet Oncology - showed nearly half of them had no remaining trace of cancer.

Lifelong impotence and incontinence are often the price of treating prostate cancer with surgery or radiotherapy.

Up to nine-in-10 patients develop erectile problems and up to a fifth struggle to control their bladders.

That is why many men with an an early stage tumour choose to "wait and see" and have treatment only when it starts growing aggressively.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38304076
 
There is an argument for not doing anything with prostate cancer. The majority won't spread. Indeed, if you examine the prostate of every old man coming to post-mortem, most have undiagnosed prostate cancer.

11,000 deaths per annum, a tiny number. But whatever helps is fine, just as long as you don't end up wearing nappies and permanently floppy.
 
25% death rate isn't significant Mike?

I beg to differ cos our interpretation of the word significant is clearly, so significant !
 
This sounds to be a very significant treatment development. We hear of so many on the cancer sites that natural caution is always exercised but the results are seemingly impressive.
My friend's husband had undiagnosed prostate cancer and was wrongly sent for physio. Unfortunately by the time it was diagnosed, it had met metastasised to his bones. He's doing ok though thankfully.

The caution at the end of this article seems to bear out what Mike is suggesting about the tendency to quickly 'over treat' for some men;

"Until we know the answer to this question, it is important that these results do not lead to the over-treatment of men with low risk cancer, or the under treatment of men at higher risk."
 
What always baffles me about these discoveries is where they got the idea from to use deep sea bacteria! 😱 🙂 This is what I meant on another post about how incredibly clever and inventive humans can be, yet so lacking in good sense on so many issues! 🙄
 
trophywench said:
25% death rate isn't significant Mike?

I beg to differ cos our interpretation of the word significant is clearly, so significant !
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25% of what? The number of men who die? The number of men who have undetected and symptom free ca prostate? The number of men who have ca prostate diagnosed? It's totally meaningless, as well as insignificant if post-mortem findings are anything to go by. It's not statistically significant because it's a skewed population studied.
 
46k diagnosed with it each year in the UK. 11k die of it (not usually the ones diagnosed this year, but some of em will be) By far the largest single killer of blokes, way above cardiac problems or lung cancer or whatever.

I appreciate there are also many thousands of chaps that die every year of something else entirely and they only find out 'by the way he also had prostate cancer' at the autopsy or coincidentally whilst medics are investigating whatever else seems to be axing him.

They don't offer to operate on men with non-aggressive, early stage prostate cancer anyway and he can always opt for watchful waiting whatever the stage and the Gleason score. It's entirely his choice, whatever recommendations his Urologist (or anyone else) gives him.

Are you seriously telling me that a bloke told he has a form of cancer that's well known to be an aggressive strain, which when they operate they find even the Da Vinci can't avoid it affecting the nerves and semen sac, who already has urination problems anyway because of the growth in the gland, which was why he decided to ask to have his PSA tested in the first place would have been better advised to just leave it? OK the best guess of his life expectancy may well be about 10 years or so - but as you very well know, that doesn't mean he's going to have 10 GOOD years - and then just die peacefully in his sleep one night !

Of 5 girls all at senior school together - four of our husbands have had prostate cancer all of which have been sufficient to have removed surgically. The one who was only in his late 40s when it manifested whose father had it, had it removed but it later metastased, and died of that subsequently, had his done PDQ and he's still going strong in every possible way. (Well probably not as strong in the one area but he's in his 70s anyway now, so you wouldn't expect it to be LOL - but as he's not my one, I don't have those sort of details - we discuss most things - but not THOSE details!) Hence I am well aware that Viagra, injections, and a vacuum pump all work well for different chaps - when you happen to need em!

Plus of course - none of us girls need worry about damp patches any more - it's so much less messy - a positive advantage! And though they may lack the means to raise their head - they don't lose the inclination and definitely still have orgasms. So much of sexual activity is in the head, not the penis - and you don't have that proved to you until you go through something like this.

Far, far too much emphasis is put on ED. A bloke's WORTH was never demonstrated by his DICK and never will be.
 
trophywench said:
46k diagnosed with it each year in the UK. 11k die of it (not usually the ones diagnosed this year, but some of em will be) By far the largest single killer of blokes, way above cardiac problems or lung cancer or whatever.

I appreciate there are also many thousands of chaps that die every year of something else entirely and they only find out 'by the way he also had prostate cancer' at the autopsy or coincidentally whilst medics are investigating whatever else seems to be axing him.

They don't offer to operate on men with non-aggressive, early stage prostate cancer anyway and he can always opt for watchful waiting whatever the stage and the Gleason score. It's entirely his choice, whatever recommendations his Urologist (or anyone else) gives him.

Are you seriously telling me that a bloke told he has a form of cancer that's well known to be an aggressive strain, which when they operate they find even the Da Vinci can't avoid it affecting the nerves and semen sac, who already has urination problems anyway because of the growth in the gland, which was why he decided to ask to have his PSA tested in the first place would have been better advised to just leave it? OK the best guess of his life expectancy may well be about 10 years or so - but as you very well know, that doesn't mean he's going to have 10 GOOD years - and then just die peacefully in his sleep one night !

Of 5 girls all at senior school together - four of our husbands have had prostate cancer all of which have been sufficient to have removed surgically. The one who was only in his late 40s when it manifested whose father had it, had it removed but it later metastased, and died of that subsequently, had his done PDQ and he's still going strong in every possible way. (Well probably not as strong in the one area but he's in his 70s anyway now, so you wouldn't expect it to be LOL - but as he's not my one, I don't have those sort of details - we discuss most things - but not THOSE details!) Hence I am well aware that Viagra, injections, and a vacuum pump all work well for different chaps - when you happen to need em!

Plus of course - none of us girls need worry about damp patches any more - it's so much less messy - a positive advantage! And though they may lack the means to raise their head - they don't lose the inclination and definitely still have orgasms. So much of sexual activity is in the head, not the penis - and you don't have that proved to you until you go through something like this.

Far, far too much emphasis is put on ED. A bloke's WORTH was never demonstrated by his DICK and never will be.
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Obviously a subject very close to your heart Jenny
 
I'm staying out of this one, girls, it's obviously personal. All I would say about TWs last paragraph is good job, really.🙂
 
It is for any lady whose husband has been or is afflicted , Amigo.

I feel exactly the same way about ANY form of cancer - I've seen FAR FAR too much of it in shedloads of my family and shedloads of Pete's. I just do NOT understand how - when it's killed every single one of my immediate family - that so far it's entirely passed me by. I'm hardly complaining, obviously.

But feel really really apprehensive about how long that kind of luck can actually last. I don't lose sleep or anything like that - but how in God's name anyone can ignore it I simply don't understand and it really upsets me when they choose to do so.

Mike - nobody but nobody would deny a bloke getting that pleasure if they reasonably can, especially when he's just got rid (as far as anyone can get rid) of something so life-threatening. But if you're saying that getting a stalk on is more important to ANY body than staying alive - then they need taking out of the gene pool anyway so it's a bloody good job they have been!
 
Plus of course - jealousy.

Find a damn cure for VA, please!
 
I did not expect a bloody tirade for a relatively lightweight comment. But I'll find a cure for VA as soon as you let me know what VA is.😉
 
Can I ask that people's sensitivities are taken into account when posting, please.
 
Sorry! Mikey - you have PM, explaining - don't think I want to discuss it further openly with the world and his dog. Perhaps I should, but there again this IS a diabetes forum, not a sexual or cancer one, after all! LOL
 
Apology accepted. You will find a thoroughly graphic reply (and helpful advice) in your in box. That is not a euphemism!:D
 
On a lighter note, in the BBC clip the patient's name was Mr Capon, when the the celebration was that the procedure had not had that effect(luckily!!)
 
No - and it isn't guaranteed to cause it if you have conventional treatment either Fergus! Just depends of you and your own actual cancer - much like D !

And thanks Mike, it was indeed both graphic and helpful, Ta ! LOL
 
Good job we've got private messaging Jen, I had to go for a lie down after sending that😉😛
 
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