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Brachytherapy Ruled Out

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User
Posted 17 Jun 2014 at 10:30

Hi All

After 6 years on AS I have to get treatment done as My last bio was not to good. I had a Brachytherapy volume test done on Tuesday 16/6 ,News is my gland is too large at 69.5cc for the implant to be done .I'm confused about the size as when at last biopsy  done on 25 march this year the gland was 49.5cc in size and my Psa was 13.5 its now 16.4, just borderline for Brachy .Can your gland swell by that much in a few months or is it possible something else is going on . I have to see the Onco at the Beatson on Wednesday 25/6 to discus my options.I previously ruled out RP because of the Ed and continance side effects but I may now have to reconsider RP but I do not know what the consequences would be for nerve sparing with a gland that size so it may have to be EBRT .I just cant get my head around it all because I was confident in my choice for Brachy any thoughts or comments would be a big Help

John.s
User
Posted 17 Jun 2014 at 13:33
Hi John,

Evaluation is not always 100 % accurate sand hopefully clarification will be forthcoming at your imminent appointment.

Hope it goes well whichever way you go.

Barry
User
Posted 17 Jun 2014 at 15:36

Hi John

I had a similar decision to make between RT and RP.  I am going for the RP (this Friday).  There were many reasons for the decision but the main one was I felt it was my best chance of getting rid of the cancer but there is the option of RT later if it doesn't.  The surgeon will do his best re nerve sparing - and won't know for sure until he gets in there.  But, for me, nerve sparing is of secondary importance to life prolonging.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Edited by member 17 Jun 2014 at 15:36  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 10 Jul 2014 at 19:36
Hi John,

Sorry to read that you are needing to do something other than as. It appears that your tipping point occurred during the gaps between checks.

FWIW the side effects are all "potential", including, most importantly, 'life".

Dave

User
Posted 15 Jul 2014 at 09:36
John "I have accepted that this is the only course left for me "

Not such a bad route for me as I'm nearly at 10 years since diagnosis: I would have gone for brachy however it was not to be so went for HT(47 months in the end)/RT(1 month) - I've now gone nearly 6 years since then with no further cancer treatment - just waterwork pills.

Good luck

Ray

User
Posted 16 Jul 2014 at 20:43

Hi John,

As per Ray's reply, it isn't so bad having RT, I am still here 7 years after initial diagnosis, 5 1/2 years after RT.

Better still, (because I now have a rising PSA again) I am in the middle of tests to see if I make the grade for HDR brachytherapy, as post EBRT salvage, and who knows where the science will be in another few years, so stick with EBRT as your 'first blast' and you will still be able to have some more cooking if your tumour springs back to life!

:)

Dave  

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User
Posted 17 Jun 2014 at 13:33
Hi John,

Evaluation is not always 100 % accurate sand hopefully clarification will be forthcoming at your imminent appointment.

Hope it goes well whichever way you go.

Barry
User
Posted 17 Jun 2014 at 15:36

Hi John

I had a similar decision to make between RT and RP.  I am going for the RP (this Friday).  There were many reasons for the decision but the main one was I felt it was my best chance of getting rid of the cancer but there is the option of RT later if it doesn't.  The surgeon will do his best re nerve sparing - and won't know for sure until he gets in there.  But, for me, nerve sparing is of secondary importance to life prolonging.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Edited by member 17 Jun 2014 at 15:36  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 10 Jul 2014 at 13:44

Hi John 

I was all set for Brachytherapy until the MRI showed that things were worse than they thought and they moved me up to a locally advanced state. Due to a heart condition the surgeon had already decided that he did not want to do a Robotic RP and that I would have to have hormone and RT As I’m only 51 I did not think this was a good solution my GP wrote a brilliant letter and asked for a reassessment by another surgeon who has agreed to the Robotic procedure as long as I pass a pre-op assessment which I am off to tomorrow. I thought long and hard about the side effects of the RP incontinence and impotence (high probability for me as the cancer has been shown to be right on the edges of the capsule), but when it comes down to it I have decided that staying alive is my priority.

Good luck with your decision.

Tony

User
Posted 10 Jul 2014 at 18:50
Hi Tony I have started on HT l had my first zolodex implant done last week and move onto EBRT in 6 months. I had previously ruled out RP mainly because off the side effects and Brachytherapy was rulled out because of the size of my prostate .I have accepted that this is the only course left for me . Hope all goes well at your preassment on Friday and you can have the treatment you wish .Best of luck Tony keep us posted on your results
John.s
User
Posted 10 Jul 2014 at 19:36
Hi John,

Sorry to read that you are needing to do something other than as. It appears that your tipping point occurred during the gaps between checks.

FWIW the side effects are all "potential", including, most importantly, 'life".

Dave

User
Posted 13 Jul 2014 at 19:40

Thanks John

Had my assessment on Friday smashed it!!

Only needed a reading of 100 on the bike managed 185 without any effort just waiting for a date now.

At 51 Im pretty aprehensive and depressed but resigned to losing the ability to have erections but I am happy to be alive.

All the best

Tony

User
Posted 15 Jul 2014 at 09:36
John "I have accepted that this is the only course left for me "

Not such a bad route for me as I'm nearly at 10 years since diagnosis: I would have gone for brachy however it was not to be so went for HT(47 months in the end)/RT(1 month) - I've now gone nearly 6 years since then with no further cancer treatment - just waterwork pills.

Good luck

Ray

User
Posted 16 Jul 2014 at 20:43

Hi John,

As per Ray's reply, it isn't so bad having RT, I am still here 7 years after initial diagnosis, 5 1/2 years after RT.

Better still, (because I now have a rising PSA again) I am in the middle of tests to see if I make the grade for HDR brachytherapy, as post EBRT salvage, and who knows where the science will be in another few years, so stick with EBRT as your 'first blast' and you will still be able to have some more cooking if your tumour springs back to life!

:)

Dave  

 
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