hi debbie - i think the MOST important part you need to focus on is that
you are talking about something that is first hand experience now.  no
hear say.  hard core evidence.  and again, the key to this is that it
may have been up to the capsule, but look at how many men have had
capsule penetration and still are cancer free after their surgery.
please keep in mind that the tissue separating the prostate from the
next organ is only the thickness of a tissue.

the path report will come back pT2c,  what you need to pay attention to
is to see if the reconnective tissue was clear of pca.  you already know
the margins are,  did the surgeon remove any tissue past the margin?  

all in all, i would say you still got a very good prognosis.  the hard
part is over and now is the time to get on with the healing and then to
get on with life.  you both have a lot to live for.

the pca just goes to show how fragile life is and how fast it can be
taken.  we need to cherish the time we have on this earth.

~ curtis

knowledge is power - growing old is mandatory - growing wise is optional    
"Many more men die with prostate cancer than of it. Growing old is
invariably fatal. Prostate cancer is only sometimes so."

Debbie,

Forget about the Geason score now.  That was a predictor for
diagnostic purposes, and to assist in choosing treatment.

Allen had clear margins, that's the important thing.  So you have
every reason to anticipate undetectable PSA in 60 to 90 days, which
would be the clinical definition of cured.

Congratulations on making the right decision, and on your good
outcome.

jimhoney
standard RRP age 52, cured, no significant aftereffects

Debbie,

Sounds like overall good news. The Gleason score post op might be rated a
little higher than pre op, but that is no longer an issue. It sounds like
they got it all. Undetectable PSA scores are what we're looking for now.

Your "Prostate for Dummies" may have been a good primer, I don't know, I
never read it. You and Allen are way past primers now though, and I don't
expect either of you is a "Dummy" :)  I also suggest you get Dr. Patrick
Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer. It is excellent, in my opinion.
My Urologist recommended it to me before we even had the biopsy results
back. At that time, I also got Dr. Walsh's book: Prostate: A Guide for Men
and the Women Who Love Them for my wife to read. It is a more basic and
general discussion of the prostate.

The first couple of days back, Allen might be a little uncomfortable. He'll
very quickly start feeling better each day. Take care of him, and don't
forget to take care of yourself.

You might be looking at radiation to the prostate bed. I think they tend to
do that about six months after surgery. Often this is done as a safety net
just to make sure there are no renegade cells in the area. With his age,
etc. I'd definitely do a little research on it and then discuss it with the
doctor. You don't have to wait for a rise in PSA.
Bev