Brachytherapy

Hello Tench 

You need to have a read of our very own Alpine Wander's journey - here's a link to his thread - it's all going well.

 RE: Surgery or Radiotherapy? Decision made! 

It's a cracking read and ends well. I am sure he will answer any of your questions too  - he's a "good egg" - oh he's on holiday up some mountain at present - but he will be back.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Tench !

Sounds like you have a favorable diagnosis. Are they talking HDR Brachytherapy as monotherapy or in combination with some other treatment like short term ADT or is Brachy sort of boost to for example external radiation? Lots of radiation pathways and not always easy to know what to choose.

From my own prostate cancer treatment journey so far my most personal reflection on how to treat prostate cancer is; ’the harder the better’ so for me having radiation equals using hormone therapy, even short term, as well if possible even if it’s favorable prostate cancer.

Best wishes - Ulf

I’m currently in departures at Dubrovnik - home today for a week, so if you have any questions after reading my bio and the long thread of my treatment that Millibob has linked, then please fire away.    AW

Thanks for response trust you had a good flight home. Did you have Brachytherapy. 

Hello Tench .  Alpine Wanderer had Brachytherapy boost. If you click on the picture next to his name it will let you read his journey - he is a real inspiration.

Yes, I had Low Dose Rate (LDR) seeded brachytherapy.  Ironically, they deliver a higher dose than HDR brachytherapy, but over a longer period of time (as half life of the radioactive seeds decreases over time).  My thinking was that there would be less collateral damage as the radioactivity is delivered to the cancer cells that are close to the seeds - that’s why they are precisely placed by the surgeon.  Hope that makes sense! AW

Makes sense . Whilst less collateral damage how where the side effects.

Yes. I had brachytherapy twice and I’m sorry to tell you that it was the worst experience of my life; achieved nothing and ended my sex life. Out of all the array of treatments available i much prefer external radiotherapy. Quick, painless and well understood. Good luck. 

I have realised since posting that there are many elements to what is termed brachytherapy,,in my case I had papillon treatment I.e. contact between the tumour and the machine. 

Hi !!

Yes Brachytherapy for prostate cancer comes in two different types; either HDR Brachytherapy where you insert temporary ’seeds’ from the outside into the prostate, turn on the radiation dose and deliver a short and high dosage and this you do for a certain amount of fractions (at minimum 1 time but could be more fractions).

Like Alpine Wanderer said he had LDR Brachytherapy where you implant small radioactive seeds permanently and actually deliver a much higher dosage compared to all other radiation methods but like he said the radiation is delivered over a much longer period until the seeds stops being radioactive

Actually I didn’t know there are Brachy methods but there is always new things to learn from all fantastic members on this forum