Please help has my husbands prostate cancer returned?

[shotzzy]

My husband was diagnosed with Anemia yesterday. Could this mean that his prostate cancer has returned? He had his prostate removed three years ago.

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,

If your husband’s diet is restricted, then he may be suffering from iron deficiency. This may explain the anemia. Try to get him to eat some food sources of iron, meat is fine, tuna, oyster, and eggs are other alternatives.

If he isn’t one to adjust from his diet – believing that the diet is keeping the disease at bay . you could consider taking iron supplements.

As an evaluation of anemia, there is a description on the appearance of the red blood cells. For iron deficiency, the red blood cells appear small, with the redness leaning towards pale (as opposed to deep red) . If this test was done, this may be the first clue if iron is the issue.

[shotzzy]

My husband underwent a radical prostatectmy.   The prostate was greatly enlarged, weighing 80 grams.  The post-operative biopsy showed no cancer at the margins, in the nearby lymph nodes,  or the seminal vesicles.   For two years the PSA readings were 0.00,  but my husband stopped going for PSA tests because he decided if the cancer returns there is little advantage in knowing this since all treatments are merely delayings of the inevitable.

He has some small problems with incontinence, especially after doing heavy physical labour.    For a week or so there was swelling between the genitals and the thigh,  which we understand might be where a lymph node is.    This swelling has subsided.    He has pain in his legs, but this is intermittent and seems to be associated with doing heavy work.    He also has pain in his lower back and occassional sciatica, but this occurs only after heavy lifting and doesn't last long.   He has a history of sciatica.

He eats a lot of salad with every meal..   Could this be associated with anemia?   I'm thinking that eating so much salad might interfere with his digestion of whatever protein he eats.    He seldom eats red meat.

Shotzzy

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,

Anemia can be a sign of cancer, but this is usually part of more advanced disease, meaning that there would usually be more symptoms aside from the anemia. Prostate cancer has a propensity to involve bone and red blood cells do come from bone marrow. Yet, there is usually pain or symptoms of nerve compression associated with bone disease rather than manifesting as anemia only.

Are you sure that the prostate was removed? Could it only have been a biopsy – but he chose radiation rather than surgical removal of the prostate? Patients who undergo radiation of the prostate, may sustain some scatter radiation on the bone marrow and anemia may be a late complication of treatment – not really a sign of cancer returning.