Rectal spacers - Anyone had one?

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User

Posted 07 Feb 2022 at 23:55

I have elected to go for radiotherapy, and have been reading up on the pros an cons of rectal spacers to reduce the side effects.

Has anyone out there got first hand experience to share, relating to the fitting, and the success rate of the treatment after fitting ? (Either the SpaceOAR or Barrigel).

Edited by member 08 Feb 2022 at 21:34 | Reason: Clarification

User

Posted 28 Feb 2022 at 12:24

Hi there - radiotherapy with a rectal spacer has a significant amount of clinical evidence proving less side-effects and improved quality of life following treatment in patients with a SpaceOAR versus those having radiotherapy without. It is something you should spend some time considering before commencing treatment. The procedure can be performed under local or general anaesthetic in about 15 minutes, is very straight forward and all consultants offering this have been certified by the manufacturer to safely perform placement of the SpaceOAR hydrogel. The success rate for placement is 99%. More info here What is SpaceOAR Hydrogel? with patient testimonials and literature. I hope this info helps.

User

Posted 28 Feb 2022 at 13:15

Also important to understand that not all men are suitable for SpaceOar or equivalents - for example, if the cancer is at the front of the prostate, the rectal spacer could prevent the full dose from reaching all of the tumour. Best to discuss with the onco the exact positioning of the tumour and then, if spacer is not offered at your hospital, seek a second opinion from another hospital that does do it.

Our local hospital - a uro-oncology centre of excellence - has recently stopped offering SpaceOar because they didn't feel the benefits were proven.

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

User

Posted 28 Feb 2022 at 22:25

Thanks to all who have responded. It appears that There are very few local places offering spacers, either SpaceOAR, or Barrigel.

I am however told by my consultant that the radiotherapy treatment they propose is to be done in a "MR-Linac" machine which is extremely accurate, and is delivered at the same time as being monitored by the MRI scanner to ensure accurate targeting, and is adjusted in real time to reflect any movement during treatment. If this is the case then it appears that I will be going down that route, and keeping my fingers crossed!

Cheers, Steve.

User

Posted 01 Mar 2022 at 21:29

Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Yes, that sounds good. I had something similar, without a Spaceoar by choice. There were no problems with stray radiation during or after treatment and at least for now the cancer has been, as my specialist said, "totally obliterated".

Have you been given a plan including hormone therapy before and after treatment?

Jules

User

Posted 03 Mar 2022 at 12:24

Thanks Jules, it is very comforting to hear that things went well for you with similar treatment.

I started the hormone therapy a couple of weeks ago, and had my first Zoladex implant this week. The initial plan is for 6 months of therapy, with the radiotherapy being done in about 4 months time. Hopefully I will then be able to come off the hormone stuff!!

I have just read your story in your profile, and I have to say that I admire your fighting spirit, and your determination to show this nasty little cancer that you are the boss. You sound like a fitter man than me, but I also plan to loose some weight and continue with my exercise routine (tennis, badminton and swimming).

Best wishes. Steve.

User

Posted 04 Mar 2022 at 00:23

All the best for your treatment Steve. Tennis, badminton and swimming sounds like a pretty good combination to me. I think Dave64diagsomething quipped that his exercise was walking to the pub and back [sorry, not entirely accurate I expect but I can't locate it] and he's been both a great inspiration and example to all of us.

For me, luck has played a helpful role in that my health was pretty good going into this challenge.

Jules

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