Treatments - which one ?

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User

Posted 23 Sep 2022 at 20:43

Hi everyone,

Recently been diagnosed with localized P C, quite a shock. I'm on hormone therapy now and the plan seems for me to be on this for maybe 6 months then have a treatment. I have no idea what treatment is best, is there a gold standard of treatment for P C even if I could only access that privately?

User

Posted 23 Sep 2022 at 23:01

It seems your treatment path has already been decided - hormone therapy to starve the cancer snd then (hopefully) some kind of radiotherapy in a few months.

Do you have any details of your diagnosis? There must be a reason why surgery wasn't suitable for you ... or perhaps you chose not to have surgery?

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

User

Posted 27 Sep 2022 at 21:38

Thank you or your reply Lyn. No treatment has been decided, I have an appointment soon to see the surgeon to discuss and an appointment is being made with the Brachiotherapy Doctor all this for me to decide which treatment. I quite liked the sound of HIFU but need reassurance that this would be good for me but also its not done at Hosp where I attend . Also interested in robitics but have no information as yet.

User

Posted 28 Sep 2022 at 08:16

HIFU is only suitable for small tumours in certain parts of the prostate. It also doesn't have a particularly good record as a long-term treatment - more often than not repeat treatment is required, which can be very expensive if done privately. From the sound of it, some form of radiation treatment is being proposed, which has much better success rates.

Best wishes,

Chris

User

Posted 28 Sep 2022 at 10:05

I had read that during covid when there were very long delays for surgery they were putting those men waiting for surgery on HT while they waited. When I met the surgeon pro to deciding on treatment he said he never put his patients on HT. At that time (March 22) there was a 6 to 8 week waiting lists for surgery. Before I met the clinical oncologist I had an appointment with an oncologist who specialises in drug treatment specifically HT. He put a lot of pressure on me having HT no matter which option I decided on. As my main concern about radiotherapy was HT once I'd agreed to start HT I felt I may as well go along with radiotherapy. So far I've not regretted my choice particularly given the large number of men I met during my RT who were having RT as surgery had failed. I know that there may be RT related problems in the future but that's the risk I took.

Good luck with which ever option you go with.

User

Posted 28 Sep 2022 at 12:32

It is understandable that if a waiting list for a hospital is 6-8 weeks a surgeon would not consider HT necessary. However, as you have been put on HT you have started what would usually be the what is given prior to RT so no time has been lost if you go the RT route, which is the one most men of your age take.

For suitable men, HIFU is now giving results that are almost as good as those provided by major alternatives, although it may need to be repeated.in some cases. However, it is a very mild treatment with fewer side effects than with surgery or RT,. Also, it can be followed by Prostatectomy or RT if necessary. So worth seeing a Focal Therapy specialist to check whether you would be suitable as another option.

Suggest you download or get a copy of the 'Tool Kit' as here :- https://shop.prostatecanceruk.org//our-publications/all-publications/tool-kit?limit=100

Edited by member 28 Sep 2022 at 13:57 | Reason: to highlight link

Barry

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