Salvage radiotherapy

Hi Alpine 

thank you very much for your reply and your thoughts 

we hope your right and my husband will go ahead with the radiotherapy treatment.. 

But as u say it’s in know if the Could have escaped in the meantime to out side … a fact our oncologist mentions offen … 

in other countries they give an automatic Pet scan if there is still a rise in your PSA after a prosectomy operation 

here they don’t …. We were told if they did this the cancer would be then regarded as “ advanced” regardless of the outcome of the scan 

it doesn't really make sense unless the cells are to small for a scan to detect at 0.6 

We just do as we are told .. fortunately my husband has stayed at non detectable after seven months on Hormones if there had been any rise we were not to be offered Radiotherapy at all 

the whole thing is so confusing plus still worried about the list of possible side effects we have been given as well … I feel in the hope to dissuade us from having the treatment 

thanks again to all who have replied to us it is a great help to be part of this forum and be able to discuss your worries with others 

Christine 

Thank you sooo much for your reply 

what is a “ SpaceOar ? Is it automaticy offered .. getting the treatment has been hard enough 

best wishes Christine 

Hi Goggie,

It's a gel that is injected between the prostate and the rectum wall with a needle through the perineum. Initially it is in liquid form and then it thickens up and causes a barrier against any damage that may happen to the rectum if it is in close contact. It stays firm for about three months I think ? it then starts to dissolve and disappear. I believe having it is down to placement of the cancer as to whether you would need it and the risks of damage. = Theres no point if it's small and away from the rectum wall. If you are private you are more likely to get it. I believe it is starting to roll in on the NHS, but I'm not entirely sure. We paid 4.5k. -The reason was that my partners cancer was very near and he also has IBS . Just bit the bullet on that one. It's a specialist procedure and as it's new there are a certain amount of people trained. Worth asking NHS is it possible or actually beneficial in your circumstances. 

My partner had it done at a Genesis Care centre in Newmarket, there are a few dotted about the UK .They have state of the art equipment and a lot of the consultants from Addenbrookes use them because of this. The procedure took about 30 minutes in all. Here's a link and you can phone up and ask any questions they are really helpful. 

L x

https://www.genesiscare.com/uk/treatment/radiotherapy/spacers-for-prostate-cancer-radiotherapy

Note*  I've just watched the video on the link as it's really informative, but it says for men that have not* had their prostate removed. So I guess your husband would not need. I will leave this post here though as somebody else my find it interesting.

One less thing for you to worry about though. I hope you get on ok and manage to plough through all the incoming information and make the right choice for you . Best wishes. 

L

Hi Christine,

I enquired about Space Oar last September but was told by my consultant that it wasn't available on the NHS as it hadn't been approved by NICE.  Apparently they did trial it but weren't convinced by the results although I suspect it may well be another case of cost.

As Barry W says it is something that you might be able to get if you go private.

Kind Regards

Brian

Thank you very much for your kind and informative reply 

it sounds an amazing option for those men who stil have their prostrate 

wish there was something similar for those that don’t 

good wishes Christine 

Thanks Steve and Brian

Yes second that thank you both Steve and Brian 

my husband is going to forge ahead with radiotherapy of the bed and the nodes. As you all say 

throw the everything thing at it and just hope it is contained in one area … 

just a note to say my husbands surgeon has said Hormone Therapy can extinguish small cells and kill them 

not sure to trust that completely but was good to know 

Christine 

Hello Christine

Just to clarify - Prostate Cancer lives on testosterone - it's it's food!!  If you have no testosterone - which the Hormone Therapy reduces down to almost nothing - the cancer cells die and this is why your PSA is reduced. The Radiotherapy then wipes out what is left.

That's the theory anyway.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thank you again Brian