It baffles our brains!

This prostate cancer cell can be seen.

 Micrometastatic Prostate Cancer                 

Terence's diagnoses

Some prostate cancer cells are practically homebodies; their growth is creeping, their advance local.  Other cells are mutated montsers (see left image!), and yet others are invisible (even to the microscope) and can't wait to leave the nest -- to hitch a ride on the bloodstream headed for points north. This unseen and restless cell has a name -- micrometastasis -- and they say it's lethal. 

Micrometastatic cells specialize in their stealth and deadly exit; these tiny microscopic flecks of cancer slip out of the prostate in such small sizes that they're invisible -- and impossible for doctors to detect. 

These cells are the scourge of prostate cancer; they escape unseen via the bloodstream to the lymph nodes or spine and can not be  stopped or cured.  The universal medical treatment plan?  Treat the symptoms as the cancer becomes evident.  

That could make one feel somewhat like a sitting duck.

 Terence, was diagnosed as stage 4/ 'Micrometastatic'.  Although Terence has evidence of tumors on his lymph nodes and near his spine, the doctors believe that the unseen micro cancer cells have already spread through his entire body making the cancer so far advanced it is untreatable. 

That's been our battle from the onset of his diagnoses.  The doctors (there have been 6 of them) believe the un-seen cancer is so far advanced, they never felt it necessary to treat the cancer that can be seen. 

By the way, I've never described his diagnoses to this degree before because it's so difficult to explain, especially for a layman!

Any ways, we've come to a point where we would like to treat the cancer that can be seen.  Or at least have a real discussion about it not a scientific one.  Surgery and/or radiation has never been an option for Terence because of the scientific presumption of the unseen cancer.

We're making an appointment with a new oncologist.  The diagnoses and prognosis will be the same, but we're hoping we can find a doctor who will be at least willing to FIGHT the evident cancer if we wanted to---to attack the cancer that's already present, regardless of what they believe about the unseen cancer.

I know this sounds oh, so confusing----seen/unseen/ cancer.  It could baffle ones mind- (& periodically it baffles our minds).   We usually leave the oncologists office somewhat dazed.  

This leaves us fighting cancer as a seen and unseen enemy and has at times makes us weary.

At this point we're looking for an oncologist that's more of an advocate and less of a world renown scientist.

Please pray for us as we make some necessary changes in Terence's medical care.

~Sherry