[Gun Geezer]

The place where I worked for 35 yrs. had a "wellness" day every year where they did blood tests for colesteral , PSA, blood sugar, liver function and a ton of others. My PSA numbers, over a period of years, rose slowly by 1/4 to 1/2 point each year or so, but still in the normal range. My doctor told me that it was a normal function of aging. After I retired, I continued getting tested every year or 2 and the number seemed to stabilize at 3 to 3.7. After I had a hip replacement I had another test that came back 7. My doctor told me not to worry that it was most likely the result of being catheterized during the hip replacement. I waited 2 weeks and repeated the test. It dropped down to 6. The doctor said it probably would continue to fall but to be safe he recommended seeing a Urologist. The Urologist suggested a biopsy rather than waiting and repeating the test. The biopsy results showed low grade cancer in 12 out of the 18 specimens. The Urologist said I needed radical surgery immediately. I went to 2 other doctors at the University of Florida at Gainsville, one a Urological surgeon, the other a radiation Oncologist. They both agreed that the radical surgery was an option but they showed me statistical proof that, with my grade of cancer, the outcomes of any of the treatments over a period of 18 yrs. were the same. That included seed implants, robotic surgery, radiation therapy, radical surgery etc., even watchful waiting, although they did not recommend watchful waiting. I went with radiation therapy because it had the least side effects and was the least invasive. I had treatments 5 days a week for 9 weeks. I had no side effects. My PSA numbers after the treatments were less than 1, even after having a second hip replacement this year. Although I had no symptoms before or after I still feel relieved to have gone through it. I find it hard to believe all of the different doctors I went to would have all advised me to get treatment I didn't need. What do you think?