H D Brachytherapy aborted

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 10:30

I had been happy with my treatment plan. (See my profile for my Gleason & staging)

On hormone therapy since diagnosis in Jan 2105 (16 weeks)

H D Brachytherapy scheduled for yesterday 20/05/16

To be followed by 23 fractions of external beam staring 2 weeks after.

To Continue on hormone therapy for a further 2 years

On the table, fully anethetised, Brachy procedure started but aborted !

I Struggled to take in all the full technical details having just come round fron the general, but it sounds like on insertion of the first couple of needled, the prostrate started to alter its position and move away from the both the needles and the ultrasound probe that was being used to accurately guide their insertion, until such a point that the farthest point of the prostate was out of reach of both the ultrasound probe and the needles, meaning that "out of reach" portion could not be scanned/imaged and needles couldn't, reach or be accurately guided.

Plan B that is now on offer is to extend the planned 23 fractions of EBRT to now become 37 fractions.

Lots of questions going through my mind ! So I need another consultation which I am going to request (I am on a corporate health insurance private treatment path)

A bit deflated, as I was all psyched up to go, and a bit disappointed that this route seems to be closed now.

Are there any other hospitals that might have any different equipment to Leeds ? That might be able to achieve HD Brachytherapy for me ?

Are there any options that might permit another attempt I.e. Being a heavy man - loose some serious weigh quickly ?

Although not common to abort, I do believe it has also happened To a few unfortunate others.

If anybody has any knowledge of an similar scenario, or any similar personal experience I would love to receive some advice or guidance.

A little disappointed & deflated , but not totally disheartened, and still optomistic for plan B.

Cheers,

Graham

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 13:35

Hi Graham,

Sorry to hear of your problem, I haven't heard of a moving prostate before.

In regards to your other question, I had HD Brachytherapy in 2014/15.

It wasn't available at my local hospital, so they referred me to Professor Hoskins at Mount Vernon Hospital in Hertfordshire. His team have been doing HD Brachytherapy for some years now. I have to tread carefully because I understand that on this website we are not supposed to recommend one doctor or hospital as being any better than any other, however my understanding from what I was told by my doctors in Norfolk is that the Mount Vernon team are the regional experts in HDR Brachytherapy.

I guess it's a bit of a trek down the A1 for you, but I only had to make 4 trips, one for a chat, another for an MRI scan, then template biopsy and finally the treatment.

Dave

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 14:28

Hi Graham ,
OH had his HD Brachy at clatterbridge on the Wirral which is closer to you.,multi-disciplinary team. His low dose Brachy was aborted because of increase in psa. Also in gown ready for op so some idea of what you are going through. Hope you have a good outcome ,EL.

Doesn't bear thinking about all those aborted radioactive doses wating around the NHS-at huge cost.Perhaps we should carry a Geiger counter next time we go there!!

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 17:49

Really sorry to hear of your experience Graham. Elajai mentions Clatterbridge (it's where I am going) and I notice you are using private health insurance. Clatterbridge also has a private clinic.

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 18:36

I guess I was trying to cling on to the faint hope that the Brachytherapy door isn't closed, but in reality it probably is.

If I did find another hospital, they would need to be using different equipment, and I would need to find a different Oncologist who would be prepared to undertake a procedure that one of his counterparts had tried and had been forced to abort, and then I'd have to convince my private health insurance company to fund a procedure that has been tried and aborted !

All a bit unlikely.

I need to put my faith in the E B R T, which is a tried and tested treatment, that I'm sure has been a life saver for oh so many others.

User

Posted 21 May 2016 at 20:23

Being Leeds, I assume you have been attending Jimmy's via the Nova suite in which case this is state of the art technology that has failed you .... I suspect you would not find anywhere with something better :-(. Having said that, the Institute of Oncology RT suite at Jimmy's is fantastic so you are in good hands for plan B

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard

User

Posted 12 Jul 2016 at 09:54

Hi.

I'm due to have HD Brachy on 27th July.

I would appreciate if someone who has had the op, could advise me on their experience.

Thanks.

Dave.

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