Originally Posted by: Online Community MemberYou know my view - I think that whatever your husband said in those initial appointments about the farming and needing to be back on his feet in the shortest time was the reason surgery wasn't pushed.
Lyn
Surely choice of treatment for any man with PCa has a lot to do with their personal circumstances. e.g. I am self employed and 6 weeks off work after RP is not an option for me as it wouldn't be with most farmers. My understanding is that bowel cancer occurrence after RT is a measurable statistic but still very, very small whereas continence and erectile problems after RP are considerable. Even the surgeon I first dealt with admitted this.
Also my understanding is that whilst there is no concrete evidence ATM that after Brachy there is any less chance of developing bowel cancer than with ERT the main advantage of Brachy over ERT is that it concentrates the radiation in the area it is most needed and avoid 'collateral' damage to other nearby parts of the body ......... in which case one would expect the results of the current studies would eventually show that after Brachy one has less chance of developing collateral radiation damage. Also with Brachy serious side affects (continence and erectile functions) are overall less of a problem than after RP and therefore disruption to 'normal' life, which is more important for some than others, is much less.
If, as may be offered to me if my cancer is very localised, they can offer treatment that targets the cancer rather than the whole of the prostate gland then the possibly of bowel cancer occurring after Brachy (which is already very, very small) would be even less.
As we are all individuals both physically, spiritually and mentally and our cancers and personal circumstances are almost unique then the range of options men would chose, if offered the whole range of treatments, are likely to be wide.
My view is that a man should be clear that whatever treatment they eventually have they have chosen it, or are 'happy' with their consultants choice.
All should be offered the full choices without prejudice.
dl
Edited by member 14 Feb 2015 at 23:38
| Reason: Not specified