Need help-prostate cancer

[NICU NURSE]

Well, I need some info about prostate cancer. My father in law is considering refusing treatment for his recently diagnosed prostate cancer. He heard somewhere that treatment isn't as effective in a man his age(age 71) then in a person say in their 40's. I think this is crazy and I am trying to convince him different, but I need some hard evidence. He is stubborn and I don't think he realizes the consequences of refusing treatment.Please, if anyone has any info I would be grateful. Thank you.

[FluffyRN]

A good resource for cancer info is www.cancer.org, the web site of the American Cancer Society. Select prostate cancer from the window in the upper left corner of the home page.

The important thing to remember for prostate cancer is that the sooner treatment begins, the better quality of life he will have through the course of the disease.

[PPL, BSN, RN]

Hi. My father, age 82, also has prostate cancer. They have been playing a waiting and watching game with his, reguler PSA and ultrasounds. Sometimes, when it's slower growing, they just monitor, but your father-in-law is younger, so the approach may be different. My father's PSA just recently went up, so he's having a check in Feb. Prior to this, it has remained stable and the prostate actually got smaller, very possibly due to his Saw Palmetto, and Pumpkin Seed Oil Caps that he takes daily. Don't know if your father-in-law would try this more natural treatment, but in any case, it's very frustrating when you're a nurse, to watch nothing being done. Will he at least go for regular monitoring?

[PPL, BSN, RN]

Oh, I wanted to mention that he had tripple A done in Nov '99, abd hernia repair Nov '00, and he's sched for a total knee this month! If he gets the prostate done, I'll just have to kill myself! It's very unlikely that the prostate cancer is what will get him. He has an arrythmia since the tripple A, has NEVER taken his heart meds, insisted on going home, and up fifteen stairs to his apt after the hernia repair, and he's already told them, he'll only be staying four days for the knee! OMG!!!