Any private treatment when other options used up?

Hi Mrs Mas

Could you not tell your oncologist your concerns and ask him/her to point you in the right direction?

Phil 

They aren't permitted to mention private treatments during an NHS appointment unless you explicitly ask, in which case they can. So do make sure you let them know you're interested in private options too.

Hi Mrs Mas 

my husband diagnosis and treatment has followed a very similarly pathway to yours, although he wasn’t diagnosed until Autumn 2021. He has not responded well beyond the initial response to chemotherapy and Prostap.

His PSA is rising and latest conversation with the oncologist was that it might be worth repeating Docetexal as he had a good response to that previously.

In the early days, we had a private consultation which was worth every penny that we spent (think it was around £200). The consultant spent about an hour with us and it was just so good to be listened to and talk about all the options.

what he said was that the treatment he would give would be the same as we would get on the NHS and the only difference would really be that we would get to see him more often if we wanted reassurance.

he then said, when all NHS avenues have been exhausted to try to get on a trial or check back to see if the private route had anything different to offer 

hope this helps 

Mags 

My father recently diagnosed with stage 4, mcrpc (based on the detail he provided me - and filling in the gaps) and PSA of 30. He did have private consultations for some time but the consultant advised him this week to go fully on the NHS as the cost of the drugs would be very high. It sounds like there are limited options even if you pay privately.

Hello

If I were you I would arrange to see a Prostate oncologist privately, have a delve around the internet to find out if there are any who you feel  fit the bill as far as your personal  concerns are concerned . By doing this you will have the satisfaction of knowing you  have covered your options and may be given information that the NHS is not able to fully impart. For example there is some thinking these days that removal of the prostate may be beneficial to men who have advanced prostate cancer that has spread .This is as you know not done by the NHS at the moment the thinking being that once spread removal of the Prostate gland is pointless .However the Atlanta trial has been set up.to see if there is benefit in outcomes for men with advanced prostate cancer to have the prostate gland removed  ,there is a body of thinking that sees the  cancerous prostate as the mother ship sending out signals to the metastasized tumours  to grow  .Unfortunately your husbands prior treatment would prevent him from taking part in this trial but may not preclude him from having it removed even though he is advanced .The NHS is constrained as far as finance is concerned but the result of the  Atlanta trial may change proceedure for the treatment of  advanced prostate cancer if there is evidence to prove removal in  advance cases is beneficial .There is hope ,new drugs are being trialled and many men with advanced prostate cancer are doing well and living longer .I was diagnised as advanced after my prostate removal did not result in tha expected  fall in my PSA in fact it was going up rapidly . Cancer was found in my lymph nodes  but after salvage RT , Enzalutimide and ADT I have had undetectable PSA for 4 years now .The removal of the prostate lessens the cancer load .RT alone  may not always destroy all the cancer cells

I have been treated very well by the NHS but wouldnt hesitate to get the opinion of a private oncologist if my PSA started to rise .

Hi Mrs Mas 

You mentioned cabazitaxel earlier in your thread,has your husband been offered or started this treatment?

Regards Phil