What treatment to choose

User

Posted 06 Jun 2022 at 19:55

I'm 55 years old and was diagnosed with stage 2 Prostate cancer in April this year. I was told that there was 2 types of treatment surgery and radiopherapy and sent home with a pile of leaflets to read which took me about a week to look at because I couldn't face them. After reading the leaflets I decided on radiopherapy as it sounded like you could lead a normal life while still having treatment. I went to see the surgeon who did not install confidence in me as he seemed quite cold as if he was bored and just going through the motions so I definitely decided to go radiopherapy. This week I went to see a radiologist who then tried to tell me due to my age to have surgery. He then started to tell me I would need 6 months of hormone treatment as well as 6 weeks of radiopherapy. He told me that the hormones would make me gain weight lose any motivation to do anything and as I'm a postman who does a lot of walking I also run 6 days a week as I run marathons and I cycle this was not the news I wanted to hear and he also told me I could have bowel problems and a loss of erections this just added fuel to the fire. So I went in there thinking I knew what treatment I wanted and now I have to decide which of the two evils to pick. Any advice and help would be much appreciated

User

Posted 06 Jun 2022 at 21:58

hi, it's unfortunate when you meet a doctor you don't click with. it will be more telling if you know his name you can check his performance by clicking on this link...

https://www.baus.org.uk/patients/surgeons/

When you find him look at 'outcomes'.

in general both Radiotherapy and Surgery have similar outcomes. As said on another thread a person as young as you may be better having surgery as you can have follow up radiotherapy if it comes back.

The radiotherapy doctor was overplaying it a bit although there is a chance those things will happen.

Radiotherapy and surgery are the basic terms. You might benefit from brachytherapy type radiotherapy. If you know your psa level and Gleason score it will help discussion if you say what they are as it may be obvious brachytherapy isn't for you. regards

User

Posted 06 Jun 2022 at 22:10

It's a fact that RT does very commonly result in bladder and bowel issues. Bladder problems (increased urgency to pee) generally peak about a fortnight after RT end and take about a month to settle down. Bowel issues last longer; mine had largely settled down after 6 months, but took a year to return to anything like normal.

With surgery, on the other hand, you have almost inevitable, although usually temporary, incontinence. Not to mention the fact that you're not going to be able to do the strenuous walking that being a postman presumably entails for probably 2-3 months after surgery.

Whichever treatment you have, you should probably plan to be off worth for a couple of months minimum.

All the best,

Chris

User

Posted 07 Jun 2022 at 01:23

We don't know details of your diagnosis which could affect this but you should be aware that in about a third of cases men who have surgery need salvage RT, usually with HT prior to and for a period after it.

Many find this a difficult decision, so you need to read up on the Pros and Cons of each treatment option you have been given and look at what this charity says in the 'Tool Kit' https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org//our-publications/all-publications/tool-kit?limit=100

Edited by member 07 Jun 2022 at 01:23 | Reason: to highlight link

Barry

User

Posted 07 Jun 2022 at 07:33

Have you asked your urologist if you are suitable for HIFU, Brachytherapy, cryotherapy, nanoknife (UCLH only) proton beam?

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