RT and Hormone therapy

Hi Whittaker .

I thought you might like to have a read of this article which indicates that it is better to have the salvage radiotherapy whilst the PSA is below 0.25 following a Prostatectomy.

https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.22.02489

Your upgrade to T3b has put you into a higher risk group indicating treatment sooner rather than later.

Thank you so much for your response that is the way that I am thinking.  They are talking about 6.5 weeks - 5 days a week don't know if that is normal.  Sent us away to think about it and another blood result dye on Thursday.  Next appointment 7th January

Thank you I had seen this which is why we queried the surgeons decision to wait until 0.4 for the pet scan and why we got the appointment with Oncology 

Thank you feel better just chatting to people who know how we feel

Hi sorry but I did put on somewhere that following the appointment on 7th January as the PSA had dropped from 0.27 to 0.25 (don't know why) the oncologist was happy to wait and see what the next reading at 3 months was before deciding on on HT/salvage RT but OH asked for review in 2 months .  Next review beginning of March when OH said that if PSA had gone up he would start the salvage treatment.  Unfortunately the Oncologist advised that the HT/RT only had a 50% chance of success.  With these odds OH is now having 2nd thoughts on having the treatment  because of the possible side effects .  I am so worried that this would be a big mistake but it's not my decision to make and I don't know what to do?  

Hello Whittaker 

Whittaker said:

Unfortunately the Oncologist advised that the HT/RT only had a 50% chance of success.  With these odds OH is now having 2nd thoughts on having the treatment  because of the possible side effects .  I am so worried that this would be a big mistake but it's not my decision to make and I don't know what to do?  

Yes, I agree with you it would be a big mistake. 50/50 is better odds than 0%. I know it's his choice. If you can point this out to him and also that folk like me have been on HT for 3 years, had RT and during that period had almost every side effect going (you don't always get them all). During that period I haven't missed a days work, haven't felt ill and it's worked for me. The side effects have been an inconvenience at best.

If it would help I am happy to have a chat with him - you can PM me at any time - my message box is open.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi thank you but unfortunately he isn't good at talking but I will keep trying to get him to see that any treatment is better than none .  He seems to think because his PSA reading is low that he can just leave it.

Hello Whittaker 

I see where you are with this - I wonder if he understands that as he doesn't have a Prostate then his PSA readings should be almost undetectable. the PSA readings are coming from some of the little bug* ers that have escaped. Try that one.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Whittaker,

Just a thought, but maybe getting your OH to think of it  in more general terms rather than in terms of being a PC issue may be a way to get him onside if more treatment is in fact needed.  

I'm thinking along the lines of what would he do if the roof developed a hole & water was dripping in every time it rained.  Having it repaired has it's own side effects - cost, time organising, mess, finding the right tradesperson (get my drift), but once the repair has been done, things can return to more normality.  Doing nothing however runs a much bigger risk that the hole will get worse & before you know it water is pouring in causing more damage & it's now imperative action is taken but the cost & overall impact etc is much higher.

Just a thought?

Best Wishes

Brian

Thank you Brian i like that he might relate to this.  I understand where he is coming from as he has got over the op and feels perfectly fine so thinks why mess it up with more treatment.  He is not thinking of the possible repercussions of doing nothing.