That was not in the plan.

Hi guys, f18 scan happened a few days ago, PSA last week,up to 1.6, Onco appointment today.

They found one lymph node in the right of the groin ( I think) that lit up. Nothing else seen. I did ask if it had 1.6 worth of PSA in it. 

Results go before another team but proposed plan is SABR treatment to the lymph node. Possibly done in the next few weeks. 

Any stories of experiences ,good or bad.

Thanks Chris 

Edited by member 19 Jul 2022 at 15:19  | Reason: Not specified

Wishing you all the best. 

Lola, I think like me you are confused with all the tracers, what is a PSMA and non PSMA tracer, should it be a choline tracer a glucose tracer or a fatty protein tracer. This tracer is better for this area that tracer is better for that area. I share your sense of frustration, take care and relax.

Bri I had a "NM F18 half body PSMA PET/CT scan", I can't find the exact tracer I had but my understanding was it "could" pick up the cells if in sufficient quantity no matter where they were.  Scholars ?

Bri, hope you are doing okay, the medics seem more relaxed with our results than we do. 

Ido4, I had the scan as described above but not sure whether that counts as the pet scan.  I haven't had an MRI scan since my post biopsy one over eight years ago. I have had several bone and CT scans up until the termination of the trial a few weeks ago, they didn't pick anything up. I will have a planning scan before treatment starts. Thanks for your good wishes.

I could do with a Dummies guide to PSMA scans.

DW, CJ,  francij1 & Bill thank you for you continued support.

Thanks Chris

F18 sodium fluoride is a bone scan

18F PSMA is a highly sensitive tracer which can pick up small cancer clusters anywhere in the body if the cancer cells are PSMA reactive. It has some disadvantages compared to Ga68 but also performs better in some situations. There is a small number of men whose cancer is PSMA negative and for these, Ga68 and 18F will not pick up the cancer sites.

F18 fluciclovine (previously known as FACBC but also called axumin) is usually better than choline at low PSA readings, not quite as reliable as a PSMA scan using 18F or Ga68 but more stable, easier to produce and transport. 18F FACBC / axumin is not a PSMA scan so may be successful for those men who are not PSMA+

This is an interesting paper published last year

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.684629/full

Lyn,

This is the exact copy from my appointment letter , "NM F18 half body PSMA PET/CT scan" I am fairly confident I had the F18 fluciclovine tracer, my PSA was 1.6.Presumably it was not a PSMA scan.

The scan did light up a single lymph node. 

"18F PSMA is a highly sensitive tracer which can pick up small cancer clusters anywhere in the body if the cancer cells are PSMA reactive. It has some disadvantages compared to Ga68 but also performs better in some situations. There is a small number of men whose cancer is PSMA negative and for these, Ga68 and 18F will not pick up the cancer sites.

F18 fluciclovine (previously known as FACBC but also called axumin) is usually better than choline at low PSA readings, not quite as reliable as a PSMA scan using 18F or Ga68 but more stable, easier to produce and transport. 18F FACBC / axumin is not a PSMA scan so may be successful for those men who are not PSMA+"

Is there a chance that any smaller clusters of cancer cells have been missed by the F18 fluciclovine, that could have been picked up by the 18f or Ga68. I realise the scans are not infallible, as we saw with CJ. I have already had my fair share of adverse effects and apparently now risk bowel damage from the SARB. 

I don't want to go head on into another treatment then finding out I could have had a better investigation.

Thanks Chris 

Edited by member 19 Jul 2022 at 23:23  | Reason: Spelling

Hi , I had my meeting with the oncologist (J) today. Perhaps because of my history of adverse effects ,  he did paint quite a grim picture of possible adverse effects, he did qualify it with, they only affect around 1percent of SARB patients. He also said further scans would not reveal anything else. 

So the planning CT scan went ahead 2 of the three almost faded tattoos were redone along with a fresh one at the front. 

Treatment in 3 to 4 weeks time, a  maximum of five sessions on alternate days.

He did say the area of interest was around 8mm, I don't think he likes my engineering type questions.

Now I have got my dispute with the dentist resolved I am hoping to get that treatment out of the way before the SARB treatment.

Still interested to hear from any guys who have had SARB treatment in a similar situation.

Thanks Chris 

Edited by member 21 Jul 2022 at 22:59  | Reason: Not specified

I had session 2 of 5 yesterday, I am having 30gy over 5 sessions. The treatment room is lovely and cool , pity the treatment doesn't last longer. Perhaps coincidence but my skin felt like it was burning for a couple of hours about two hours after treatment, nothing to see on the skin and all back to normal now.  As usual the RT staff are absolutely brilliant.

Thanks Chris 

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