Husband starts rt on 30th May. Will we know at the end of it if he is clear or not. reading on forum it can take a while to tell.
How long does it take?
Does the tumour disappear completely?
Will it stop it spreading further?
How successful is treatment ?
He has gleason 4+3 with localised spread.Age 72,never been ill before ,no symptoms only picked up routine psa test.
Been on Prostap depot injections since early February.
Had gold beads in on Tuesday. Ct scan next week.
would like some info on possible outcome in simple terms please
Thanks so much
Lyn
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
Hi Lyn,
after the RT has finished, he may stay on hormones for a while - my husband had them for about 3 months after RT while others take them for 2 years. Once your husband stops taking the hormones, the medics will monitor his PSA regularly - if it stays low and stable for 5 years he will be considered to be 'in remission'. They can't really tell whether the RT has been successful while he is still on hormones.
It may seem a bit scary that you will have to wait 5 years to know whether it was successful but in reality, if he had surgery you would be watching the PSA tests with your heart in your mouth for 5 years anyway. Official 'remission' (in NHS terms) is only achieved if the PSA stays low for 10 years - my dad actually got a letter from the hospital telling him he was in remission exactly 10 years after his op. It came back 3 years later though so there is never any guarantee.
RT generally has the same success rate as surgery so a man with T2 G7 will have an 80% chance of cure regardless of whether he has RT or surgery. For localised spread, RT is slightly more successful than the op which is presumably why your husband has been advised to go down the RT route?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
|
User
Diarrhea is one of the potential side effects of RT and it could be helpful to change diet to some extent to combat this. Ask oncologist/radiologist about recommendations. I changed too much and suffered constipation. Also, at one stage I needing to urinate variously up to 8 times a night but this gradually reduced. Diarrhea can also add to radiation induced soreness. A mild unscented soap should be used and any cream suggested should be dabbed on rather than rubbed on and applied thinly.
Suggest hubby continues to exercise as well as he can to maintain fitness and help stave off premature fatigue. It is important not to miss scheduled RT appointments if the full benefit of RT is to be gained.
It is quite common to pass mucus with motions and this can extend for some months after RT has ended.
Barry |
User
Hi Lyn
My husband had a similar problem, he adjusted his diet on the advice of his nurse and that seemed to help. He still has the occasional bout of diarrhoea and urgency especially since being prescribed enzalutamide but he does cope quite well with it. He didn't have burning whilst urinating could it be an infection?
Anyway, generally the effects of radiotherapy subsided over the years so time is the answer
Good luck
User
The diarrhoea and urgency could be radiation proctitis for which gel or pessaries can be prescribed. He could a) see the GP b) call his nurse specialist if he has one c) give the radiology department a call d) call the oncologist's secretary and leave a message asking what to do
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
|
User
Lyn
I finished salvage RT four weeks ago and was advised the initial side effects might peak at two to three weeks after treatment. Long term side effects may happen two to three years after treatment. I was given a fairly comprehensive list of foods to avoid which worked for me. When I had a few days gap between treatments due to Easter Bank hols I reverted to my normal diet with adverse effects on my bowels.Using a daily enema also unsettled my normal motions.
Four weeks post treatment the bowels have settled down. I was also given a phone number for the the Radiotherapy support team who were quite helpful.
I had water works problems before RT so my water works experience's are probably not relevant.
Thanks Chris
User
Just finished my 33 sessions of RT. Seems some of us have a rougher time than others... I also had the burning in the back passage, and a radiotherapist gave me some Colifoam. It took a day or two to start working, and it isn't the most decorous medicine to apply, but it is magic juice. Worth an ask?
User
tamsulosin working well to empty bladder properly but bowels just out of control. everything going almost straight through. burning helped only a little by gel
tomorrow is last treatment and there is a tradition at Beatson,Glasgow of ringing a handbell in the waiting area on your last appointment. every one waiting claps and wishes you best of luck. hand bells in every dept through out hospital. great morale booster and shows people just starting that you get through it and move on.
so tomorrow G rings the bell and we move on. still three years prostap but thank goodness there is all this treatment to have.
good luck to us all
lyn x
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
Care is taken to configure the beams to minimize radiation damage especially to bladder and bowel and in my case at least and I would think applies generally they aimed to set to limit radiation to theses organs to prescribed limits. Nevertheless, tumours may be located in different parts of the prostate and also the prostate of one man can differ very much in size, shape and position. This can make a considerable difference to the extent of side effects, some men suffering considerably but the majority sailing through fairly comfortable.
Things should gradually ease after a couple of months or so after treatment but if not I would refer back to your consultant
Barry |
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User
Hi Lyn,
after the RT has finished, he may stay on hormones for a while - my husband had them for about 3 months after RT while others take them for 2 years. Once your husband stops taking the hormones, the medics will monitor his PSA regularly - if it stays low and stable for 5 years he will be considered to be 'in remission'. They can't really tell whether the RT has been successful while he is still on hormones.
It may seem a bit scary that you will have to wait 5 years to know whether it was successful but in reality, if he had surgery you would be watching the PSA tests with your heart in your mouth for 5 years anyway. Official 'remission' (in NHS terms) is only achieved if the PSA stays low for 10 years - my dad actually got a letter from the hospital telling him he was in remission exactly 10 years after his op. It came back 3 years later though so there is never any guarantee.
RT generally has the same success rate as surgery so a man with T2 G7 will have an 80% chance of cure regardless of whether he has RT or surgery. For localised spread, RT is slightly more successful than the op which is presumably why your husband has been advised to go down the RT route?
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
|
User
well thats halfway in radiotherapy and effect from day two building up to real burning pain in back passage and passing urine a real problem. taking so long ,starting and stopping.
diarrheoa today with excess wind and leakage. resting this weekend to startagain on Monday.hard going as still getting up hourly and oftener all night.
OH is keeping cheerful though and looking forward to easier days and nihts of sound sleep. Luxury.
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
Diarrhea is one of the potential side effects of RT and it could be helpful to change diet to some extent to combat this. Ask oncologist/radiologist about recommendations. I changed too much and suffered constipation. Also, at one stage I needing to urinate variously up to 8 times a night but this gradually reduced. Diarrhea can also add to radiation induced soreness. A mild unscented soap should be used and any cream suggested should be dabbed on rather than rubbed on and applied thinly.
Suggest hubby continues to exercise as well as he can to maintain fitness and help stave off premature fatigue. It is important not to miss scheduled RT appointments if the full benefit of RT is to be gained.
It is quite common to pass mucus with motions and this can extend for some months after RT has ended.
Barry |
User
looking for advice. OH serious diarrrheoa with burning feeling and really painful urination.just finished week three radiotherapy and its getting bad. he was in loo fifteen times last night with one or other and its been like this from treatment two and not improving. told just to keep going.
I know its got to be done and he's taking it as well as poss but what I need to know is
how long does it go on for after treatment finished.?
does it come back after a while,ive read that it does.?
he has had a few instances where he couldnt make it to loo which has knocked his confidence,any thing that can help apart from pads.
drs not keen to prescribe anything as a previous drug for arthritis collided with prostap and he almost had a stroke.
do herbal,alternative meds work.?
I welcome any ideas as situation exhausting at present.
thank you so much
lyn
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
Hi Lyn
My husband had a similar problem, he adjusted his diet on the advice of his nurse and that seemed to help. He still has the occasional bout of diarrhoea and urgency especially since being prescribed enzalutamide but he does cope quite well with it. He didn't have burning whilst urinating could it be an infection?
Anyway, generally the effects of radiotherapy subsided over the years so time is the answer
Good luck
User
thank you for replying so quickly. urine tested clear of infection and told bladder swelling due to radiotherapy was cause. he genuinely thought symptoms would stop after treatment stopped but seems this is not so.
we are staying positive after initial shock of diagnosis without symptoms but now and again it seems so unreal. i think we always thought cancer happened to other people.
its a life changer isn't it but it has brought us closer together.
so onwards and upwards and hoping these symptoms dont last too long.
lyn x
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
The diarrhoea and urgency could be radiation proctitis for which gel or pessaries can be prescribed. He could a) see the GP b) call his nurse specialist if he has one c) give the radiology department a call d) call the oncologist's secretary and leave a message asking what to do
"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." Soren Kierkegaard
|
User
Lyn
I finished salvage RT four weeks ago and was advised the initial side effects might peak at two to three weeks after treatment. Long term side effects may happen two to three years after treatment. I was given a fairly comprehensive list of foods to avoid which worked for me. When I had a few days gap between treatments due to Easter Bank hols I reverted to my normal diet with adverse effects on my bowels.Using a daily enema also unsettled my normal motions.
Four weeks post treatment the bowels have settled down. I was also given a phone number for the the Radiotherapy support team who were quite helpful.
I had water works problems before RT so my water works experience's are probably not relevant.
Thanks Chris
User
Just finished my 33 sessions of RT. Seems some of us have a rougher time than others... I also had the burning in the back passage, and a radiotherapist gave me some Colifoam. It took a day or two to start working, and it isn't the most decorous medicine to apply, but it is magic juice. Worth an ask?
User
thank you for information . will ask on Monday for Colifoam as soooo painful
all the best
lyn
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
just back from Beatson/Glasgow after treatment and review. prescribed TAMSULOSIN for slow flow and burning and SHERIPROCT GEL for burning other end. here's hoping. treatment finished on Friday and eight week appt with consultant so thinking positive and planning wee holiday
lyn x
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
tamsulosin working well to empty bladder properly but bowels just out of control. everything going almost straight through. burning helped only a little by gel
tomorrow is last treatment and there is a tradition at Beatson,Glasgow of ringing a handbell in the waiting area on your last appointment. every one waiting claps and wishes you best of luck. hand bells in every dept through out hospital. great morale booster and shows people just starting that you get through it and move on.
so tomorrow G rings the bell and we move on. still three years prostap but thank goodness there is all this treatment to have.
good luck to us all
lyn x
The only thing you know is you never know,so,keep trying |
User
Care is taken to configure the beams to minimize radiation damage especially to bladder and bowel and in my case at least and I would think applies generally they aimed to set to limit radiation to theses organs to prescribed limits. Nevertheless, tumours may be located in different parts of the prostate and also the prostate of one man can differ very much in size, shape and position. This can make a considerable difference to the extent of side effects, some men suffering considerably but the majority sailing through fairly comfortable.
Things should gradually ease after a couple of months or so after treatment but if not I would refer back to your consultant
Barry |