Treatment option

Old school thinking in my opinion.  Younger men may be better at recovering from the surgery but if incontinence remains you have longer to live with it. In addition, if salvage radiotherapy is required further down the line, side effects can worsen. Please don’t take this as a partisan comment- take a look at the links in my bio for statistical evidence.  That said, if RARP surgery is successful, then a zero PSA without any radiotherapy or hormone therapy or side effects would be the dream solution.   AW

Hello Stripey 

Treatment is very much down to personal choice. What works for one doesn't always work for someone else.  Surgery, Hormone Therapy/Radiotherapy, Brachytherapy or don't bother.

Deciding on treatment, if you have the option (I didn't!!) is down to lots of research. I would suggest you start a list of the pros and cons for each treatment as to how they affect YOU. Do the research from trusted sources, Macmillan, Prostate Cancer UK and this Community (not Dr Google). Ask questions, we are all happy to answer them, read our profiles by clicking on our avatars - at the end of the day, it's down to how you feel about each treatment and how the side effects will effect you. it's personal.

I wish you luck and am happy to answer any particular questions you may have about HT/RT.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Stripey

Just briefly the only major downside to RT is that surgery very difficult or near impossible afterwards if cancer returns.

But to slightly offset that 2 treatments potentially more side effects.

I took my chance with RT and so far ok although of course it's always in the back of our minds that could come back but just keep positive thoughts.

Best wishes 

Steve

Hi . How do I get to your bio .. Thanks

Click on my name or click on the snowy landscape.   AW

At 55 yrs i did a RARP and was given to understand that since my cancer is within the prostate capsule, I have a good prognosis.

I went for it, knowing its implications, and within 7 months i had a BCR at rt iliac lumph node.. Took RT, and after 6 months tumor observed in same rt iliac.

So nothing is assured. We just have to take our chances and hope for the best