Hello all, please help!

Although retired now as an ex LGV and PCV driver I immediately felt an affinity with Dad's position. I had surgery in 2015 but never achieved an undetectable PSA answer in 2016 had salvage RT because the PSA kept rising. It was explained to me that some cells were floating around somewhere in my body but they were unable to determine where. Because the PSA was rising relatively slowly they believed the cells were in the prostate bed and so could focus the RT in that area. This didn't work for me so in 2017 I started HT as this is more of a scatter gun approach and should work on the cells wherever they are. The good news is that 3 months after starting HT I had my first undetectable PSA reading.

Some onco's use HT and RT in close proximity as a belt and braces approach but mine had a good chat about it and we decided to try one at a time so that I only had one lot of side effects to deal with at a time. It might be worth discussing this.

The RT was not a major problem and I was happily able to drive the 94 mile round trip but went equipped with emergency supplies of pads, trousers, pants and wipes just in case as I had read that RT could cause bowel problems during treatment. I am pleased to say that I didn't need any of it and the radiology team were so helpful.

towards the end of the 33 sessions I was aware that I was getting a bit tired and I wasn't working full time so Dad needs to be mindful of this as in his job there is a lot of concentration required.

I had my LGV medical 3 weeks ago and have just had my licence back for another year as I still do casual driving on trucks and buses so all good.

The HT hasn't been a major problem but the hot flushes take a bit of getting used to.

Hope this helps a bit.

All the best

Kevan

I think if they have told you that dad will never be in remission, they will assume that you understood that his cancer is incurable. On that basis, I would ask the onco what the purpose is of the radiotherapy? Either the RT is being targeted at some spread to reduce the side effects or reduce the tumour size a bit OR there has been a bit of misunderstanding and there is still a chance of cure. You need to understand which so that the family does not have false hope or feel unnecessarily hopeless (depending on the answer the onco gives you)

Having no PSA because he has no prostate would only apply if he was in the curable camp - obviously since he is incurable, the cancer cells wherever they have spread will be producing PSA.

What happens next and how serious your dad's situation is is rather influenced by whether or not he is taking hormones already? If not, you could ask the onco whether hormone treatment is to be given with the radiotherapy.

Hi Jade, I have just finished Radiotherapy, 20 sessions totalling 60 Gy.

Worst bits were travelling to and from treatment. You have to keep hydrated before  arriving, emptying bladder, then drinking 3 cups 1/2 hr before session to get fill bladder to the right amount.

You will be well briefed at the planning session

Your bowels needs to be empty, gas free, not always possible, but the radiologists are very understanding.

Radiotherapy has no feeling, just lie there keeping still, listening to the machine rotate around you bleeping,

RT can cause diarrhoea but speak to the nurses to gets some meds.