Florentyna wrote:
I wonder why, then, my husband has been waiting for weeks for the authorisation from the ministry of health for prostate cancer op. When I spoke to them today, they said......oh the doctors have been on holiday.........my reply.....'but cancer does not go on holiday' so now we have to wait another " 2/3 weeks" as this surgery cannot be done at the general hospital, so needs permission to be sent to a private hospital. Usually I praise the general hospital system, but this to'ing and fro'ing by these people has done nothing but stress us beyond breaking. And still no sign of an end.
Sorry to hear of your husband's plight. As a prostate patient myself I understand the stress. As for the operation, is your husband seeking to have laparoscopic surgery? As you are probably aware, this is not available in the Cyprus state hospitals.
For younger patients the government will usually consent to pay for the treatment, and for younger patients that is probably the best choice.
Older patients usually have to pay for such surgery themselves (it was about €20,000 when I looked into it). Conventional surgery is performed in the state hospitals and shouldn't require prior approval (though of course we don't know your husband's entitlement to state care).
His timing has been unfortunate because of the annual holidays, but a few weeks extra is not going to make much difference. The main issue with prostate cancer is getting a prompt diagnosis, as it can progress silently, without any symptoms, for a long time before it becomes a problem. At least you are over that hurdle and have been given a treatment plan - even if it has been delayed by holidays in the public sector.
If it is any consolation, and my guess is that it won't be, had you been relying on the NHS he probably wouldn't have even been diagnosed yet.
In my case, I was already having treatment for a urinary tract issue when a rising prostate level (over an 18 month period) warranted further investigation. A biopsy revealed an aggressive tumour, in its early stages of development. That was not a good day and there was no sugar coating of the results.
After further tests in Limassol and Nicosia, as the tumour had not breached the outer walls of the prostate, and influenced by my pre-existing urinary tract problem, I elected to have radiotherapy and hormone treatment rather than surgery. This was undertaken at the outstanding BOC centre in Nicosia.
The main stumbling block for me was that neither the urologist nor the oncologist would commit themselves as to which treatment they would recommend for my circumstances, and I had a short time to make up my mind from several options. I would have paid for the laparoscopic surgery had I felt that would be best for me.
The problem with this lack of recommendation is that there are no useful comparative studies that compare like for like. The types of people who have surgery or not necessarily the types who elect radiotherapy; however I was reassured that the outcomes were similar - and I went with radiotherapy based on nothing more scientific than a gut instinct. I hasten to add that this choice would not be suitable for everyone. It was just the one that seemed best suited to my individual circumstances.
Radiotherapy (37 sessions) and hormone treatment (over three years) are not without side effects, however none of them are as bad as being dead. Now almost four years on, I have completed treatment, I am tested every six months and so far remain free from a re-occurrence. I am utterly convinced that had I been in the UK, it would not have been detected until it was far more serious and would probably be dead by now.
The only real negative was that partway through the hormone treatment, the government decided it would no longer fund the expensive drug (around $480 a shot) and changed over to a cheaper drug. This one was effective but had worse side effects. Thankfully they changed their minds later and he change doesn't appear to have affected the outcome.
If your husband needs radiotherapy and hormone treatment after surgery (it will depend on his circumstances) then note that the oncology centre will schedule the drugs every three months, whereas the manufacturer recommends every twelve weeks. They are not the same, so take charge of your own scheduling. He will need a special diet for the radiotherapy to avoid damage to the bowel. He must take that seriously and I recommend starting the diet a week before the first treatment. I hope he likes carrots
PASYKAF in Paphos will undertake the injections, future blood tests and even help with transport to Nicosia if necessary. I cannot speak too highly about PASYKAF.
I wish you both every good fortune and hope that you come through the other end with the best of outcomes. It is going to be stressful but you will be in good hands both with the urology at Paphos and oncology in Nicosia - though you will get fed up of that motorway. :)