Surgery or Radiotherapy? Decision made!

Hi and thanks for the reply AW , yes I’m on the HDR one , and gutted I’d got hospitalised with c diff last month and postponed my Friday first part , but sure I’ll be ok for the February one , oh and thanks for the read up 

Yes, hope the treatment after your delay goes well. If you have any questions, just ask.  AW

Thanks Millibob - I’ll keep you appraised week by week, so members of our little group can have an idea of what it entails. Hopefully without too many hiccups (or at the other end, too!)  

Thanks for that 

Hi Jonny Mac - Still no side effects from brachytherapy, nearly 3 weeks since op.  Scanning appointment done last week ready for external beam IMRT.  Just want to get on with it now (23 factions, 16 January- 15 Feb), as this last stage of my triple therapy is the great unknown with regards to how my body is going to tolerate it.  In the meantime, I found this excellent video to encourage me to continue with my brachytherapy boost pathway.   I’m mindful that we’re all different, so one size doesn’t fit all with regards to the best pathway for each individual: listen to your MDT / consultant.  I post this here, as I know that you’re considering Brachy.  By the way, can you remind me of your initial diagnosis? Are you on HT?  I’m wondering if your MDT is looking to add the external beam to your treatment plan.  Anyway, here’s the video:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=5r2XenclnOE&si=JlOmFsORE1C9kOAK

Good news this morning. I had a PSA test yesterday and it was sent to the lab that did my last test on 12 December (when the reading was 0.36). We were nervous as we opened my NHS app to see the result (the app is brilliant: results are on there within a day)…..
Yesterday’s reading was 0.22!
It takes some time for the low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy to lower the PSA (between 6-12 months), so we weren’t expecting much effect from that yet (in fact, sometimes there is a “brachytherapy bounce” when PSA rises as the prostate reacts to the operation and having 60 titanium seeds inserted). Therefore, this reading proves that the hormone treatment is still starving the prostate cancer. Once the brachytherapy takes full effect alongside the IMRT external beam radiotherapy, I just need to hope for the best with the side effects. After treatment, less than 0.1 soon after IMRT is considered remission and if it’s still less than 0.2 after 5 years (when no hormone treatment) then cured. In theory, PSA could go as high as 2.0 before any further treatment would be needed (The rise afterwards would be because I still have a prostate gland, that would probably eventually need something doing to it if the rise did not level out and stay level). I now feel ready to take on the 23 days of IMRT - starting tomorrow- wish me luck!!  AW

All looking really good! Hope all goes well over the IMRT!

All sounds good AW, good luck, yes , when all treatment is over as long as the PSA is lowish then fine and as long as it doesn't start an upward trend

Best wishes

Steve 

Wow I am missing out - you have 23 days on the hospital sunbed, worriedwife has 14 days on the cruise ship sunbed and here's me watching the snow!!

Seriously though Alpine Wanderer you are almost there now so I hope it goes well for you and you sidestep any of the side effects. The hardest bits are the daily travelling and parking, never mind lying on the sunbed and you know it will soon pass. This time next month you will feel like there is a "void" in your life.

Best wishes - Brian.

Yes, I would prefer the Caribbean cruise sun bed too!  However, my trips will be made a bit easier because the car park at Peterborough cancer centre is free for patients undergoing treatment and there is a macmillan coffee shop / comfy seating / counselling centre opposite so my wife can have a free cuppa and biscuits whilst she waits for me ️