Prostate Cancer Treatment

Ahhh ok, It’s really difficult to make the decision when you have several options, active surveillance, radiation (external beam or brachytherapy, and surgery to remove it.. It went round and round in my head, but what all those around me advised was to have some treatment, and to be fair, I don’t think I would be good on active surveillance,  so I just tried to get expert advise from wherever I could including another specialist and it took my about 5 weeks overall to make my decision…. I wrote down a lot of questions each time, based on what I read on this site and generally elsewhere after talking to friends who have had treatment, but some weren’t as fortunate and their route was basically decided for some of them.  Good luck tomorrow and if there is something still bothering you after then get back to them so you can be as sure as you can be that you have made the right decision

Will do, thanks

May I ask why you opted for the brachytherapy route as oppose to a n others?

What preps are needed in advance?

Hi, simplicity really plus a long term proven record of success plus it seems the side effects are less than the others. I went in last week for some prep which needed me to have a general anaesthetic, and the whole thing was over in a few hours, and a few hours after that when I had been to the toilet a few times, I was allowed home. Just a few hours of stinging in my wee.. next day all good.  Next month main procedure with the insertion of the radioactive seeds.  

ok noted thanks. I haven't read anywhere about a general for prep, so that is something new. And my research from speaking to people and extensive research is that side effects can be just as far reaching as other pathways, all very interesting, and I suppose it depends on the advice you get, the people you speak to, all of which may be varied and different. And I suppose one size doesn't necessarily fit all. I read about a relatively new treatment, approved by NICE, PSMA Lutetium 177 which sounds marvellous, but again, not offered by all. Will advise after tomorrow, thanks for your time. 

The Lutetium 177 is normally offered to men with advanced metastatic prostate cancer and is mainly available on a private basis at a cost of about 100K for the course. We have one member who has had it in Finland but his circumstances were different to yours. There is work being done as part of trials to find out the most effective time of administering it but I have a strong suspicion that you will not fall into the criteria but it never harms to ask the question.

All the best for your meeting today and I hope you get some clarity. Let us know how you get on.