My dad has been diagnosed with prostate cancer an is having hormone injects. He’s been told he won’t be having chemotherapy just radiotherapy which won’t start until 3 months ! Why would they leave it so long ?
This sort of period on hormone therapy prior to radiotherapy is standard practice. Once your Dad begins hormone therapy this should immediately halt the development of your Dad's tumour and even begin to shrink it a little. This will make the radiotherapy more effective, as the area requiring treatment will be smaller. In a small number of cases, known as hormone refractory cancers I believe, the hormone therapy proves ineffective and an alternative therapy is then deployed in order to try to achieve the same effect.
I hope that that answers your question and proves of some comfort.
Very best wishes,
Jonathan x
Hoping for personal growth and a return to full health
Thank you for your information it helps a little bit he was also told it had spread to his lymph nodes and part of his stomach would the radiotherapy help this as well ? And my dad is already in the hormone injections but has to wait for the radiotherapy x
Okay. So your Dad's cancer will be classified as advanced. I'm afraid that I'm only really at all knowledgeable with regard to localised and locally advanced prostate cancer. Others WILL be able to advise you though Shellbell.
Very best wishes,
Jonathan x
Hoping for personal growth and a return to full health
Jonathon is right, Hormone therapy is normally given before radiotherapy usually between 3-6 months before in order to get the psa and tumour size down before finishing off with the radiotherapy. Do u have any more stats like: psa , Gleeson score, this would show how aggressive the cancer is.
It's quite unusual for PC to metastasize to the stomach area, could be worth checking that out or looking at the MRI report if u have that, that should tell u what's going on in terms of spread.
He had an MRI scan which showed spotting in them areas and used the terms secondary in doctor language as a nurse translated it for my mum I get confused with there terminology.
Im still processing it all to be honest and trying to get my head around it all thanks for taking the time to reply I am really grateful x
