About nully’s cancer diagnosis (vanity)

nully | 10/5/25 | null and void

[null and void]

I’ve recently been diagnosed with cancer. Now that I’ve got your attention, the prognosis is very good, with treatment I have a 95% chance of surviving it for 15 years. That doesn’t say I won’t croak of something else, but that it won’t be the cancer!

It’s prostate cancer, very early detection (insert Public Service Message here, PSA test detected it when it was really small. Guys? Get one!). Lump confirmed by MRI, cancer and lack of metastasizing confirmed by PET scan.

There are several treatment options, surgery, radiation, chemical castration, etc. I’ve ruled out the last one! I’ve already had two surgical procedures, UroLift and TURP, I’m going for something different this time.

Since testosterone is like Miracle-Gro to prostate cancer I’ll be getting shots to block it starting Tuesday. I ‘get to’ experience menopause, oh joy. Don’t be surprised if I start posting in soprano about my hot flashes... I should recover normal testosterone levels within six months after the treatment.

The technology for radiation therapy has vastly improved. Rather than emission from a radioisotope they now use a precisely focused beam from a linear accelerator to do pinpoint irradiation, from multiple angles, minimizing the exposure to surrounding tissues. Even then they further minimize the exposure of the rectum (which touches and practically nestles the prostate) by a one-time injection of a ‘hydrogel’ to provide physical separation. The hydrogel is slowly absorbed by the body but preserves adequate spacing for the course of treatment.

The course of treatment is very small doses done every weekday for 45 days. Total exposure is about 5 minutes each day.

Six months of treatment, two months of testosterone blocker, a bit less than two months of radiation and testosterone blocker, and a final two months of testosterone blocker.

Follow up of periodic PSA test to verify no recurrence.

Easy-peasy.

So of course I have to make it more complicated. Fenbendazole and Ivermectin have shown promise in a few studies as have select vitamins and other supplements, so after talking to my urologist, I’ve started Fenben and IVM and such already.

[Karliner]

I pray you make it through and found what Ponce de Leon couldn’t find, healing and youth forever.
Bit lighthearted Null, you’re a good swimmer:>)

[Big Red Badger]

Prescott here-—I’m close!

[montag813]

Prayers for you, my brother*

*Sorry to assume your gender, as of course women can also get prostate cancer /s

[null and void]

Of course!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

☑

[null and void]

Bit lighthearted Null, you’re a good swimmer:>)

Fat floats...

[DoodleBob]

Dear Lord, please grant nully health and recovery. Amen.

[dayglored]

Hey Nully, First off, prayers up for ya, and the very best of luck with the treatments.

I've got BPH (Benign Prostate Hyperplasia) that makes peeing very difficult, ejaculation pretty much impossible (though I ain't doing much of that these days anyway), and it raises my PSA score.

Due to the BPH, my PSA has bounced around 4-6 with a one-time reading of 7 (it came back down) for a few years now. I read that in men my age (73) a score of 4-6 is actually pretty common, although 4 is a threshold of concern for younger men.

A buddy of mine was diagnosed a few years ago with prostate cancer with a PSA of 8, another buddy hit 20+ and had to have surgery. They both survived it and seem to be doing well.

So a question, Sir -- what was your PSA that led to the diagnosis?

[null and void]

huh. Darned if I remember!

The memory is the second thing to go...

[null and void]

I really don’t remember that, butt I do remember the digital exam. Go figure.

[Myrddin]

I wish you success in your treatment plan. My first cancer in 1985 was treated surgically (removal of the right testicle), the 3000 RADs of radiation through my gut. Four to six hours of puking after each treatment, loss of body hair then diarrhea. Your treatment seems much better focused.

My last testosterone measurement in 2005 was 271. That is very low and explains why in spite of lots of strength building exercises, I made little progress. I did find that the Muscle Defense product from Apex Labs helped me recover lost muscle mass after months of laying in a hospital bed in 2024. A useful alternative is HMB powder from Amazon. 3 grams per day will help you hold on to your muscle mass and perhaps add some.

[null and void]

Good to know, thanks!

[Myrddin]

I asked for a CT PET scan as the last item while I still had my employer sponsored health insurance. Nothing quite like being a live source of gamma emissions. The only thing I found in the PET interpretation was higher uptake at the anastomosis of my pyloric valve and jejunum. It was 5.4 with the red flag line at 6.0. A recent CT found that area has thickened since the June CT PET, so I need to monitor it. Ampullary cancer tends to recur about 24 months after a Whipple. That will be June 2026.

[Tax-chick]

Best wishes, nully. My husband went through this last year and is doing very well now.

[dayglored]

> I do remember the digital exam.

Yeah, those are not my favorite medical procedure. Colonoscopy is worse, but only somewhat.

Hopefully you didn't have one of those docs that puts both of his hands on your shoulders during the exam? :-)

[Karliner]

I meant the first run to the egg, beat out 75,000,000 other swimmers! We’re all winners so I have faith you’ll stay healthy and live a long time.

[null and void]

Not this time...

[null and void]

Not this time...

[null and void]

Hang in there!

[grey_whiskers]

Will put you on my prayer list, nully.