Prostrate radiotherapy

Hi Helen

Sounds spot on to me although a little surprised the radiographer is going to conduct the test .  The feedback from my test in March was by the cancer nurse.

I will be having 6 monthly PSA tests for the next 18 months followed by an annual test forever. Hormone therapy ( Prostrap) again for at least another 18 months.

Hope this helps ease your mind.

Regards

Stuart

Hi Helen

It is not normal to have any scans after RT has finished and the PSA  test is probably more important now than it was before treatment as any major rise could be an indicator the cancer is still there or returned.

Hopefully when he has his first psa it will be well down and obviously helped by the HT.

Don't forget that psa can continue to reduce for some time after RT finishes.

Regards

Steve

Thank you Stuart for this information. Tomorrow will be the last radiotherapy session so at least we won’t be travelling to the hospital daily. We will both be hoping the PSA test in 2 months will be much lower. Hopefully my husband will begin to feel better over the next 2 months. Hopefully we will get use of our caravan at end of August. It’s nice to have something nice to look forward to.

Just need to deal with hot and cold flushes.

I hope you continue to feel better and enjoy your summer.

Thanks

Thanks Steve. It’s good to know that PSA will be closely checked. I guess it’s just hard having to wait 2 months to see if it has been a success. Just have to wait and see and keep positive.

Thanks for your help.

Hi Helen

Forgot to say your husband should have a meeting ( mine was over the phone) with the cancer nurse. They should  give the PSA results and then explain what happens in future. This should be followed up in writing.

Don't let the 2 month gap ruin your holiday plans - it's just another step along the road.

I am also going on my first holiday since I completed my RT in January - funnily enough in a caravan. COVID got  in the way of earlier plans!

Regards

Stu

Hi Helen, There were no scans for me after RT finished or any of the others I met over at the hospital. When I finished I was given the envelope with blood test instructions and told by the Radiographer  that i would have an appointment with the Oncologist in about 6 weeks time and to have the test for PSA about a week before. I also had a blood test the day I finished.Since then I have had 6 monthly bloods. I haven't seen a Doctor since the Oncologist in April 2019 all I get is a letter with a PSA report and says they don't need to see me unless I have a problem.I am also on HT for about 3 years (Gleason 8 and PSA 11). HT is something I hate but a necessary evil.

Hope test results are positive.

Regards  Reg

Hi

They will give him a chance to recover from all the procedures. I am on prostap hormone Therapy for life. It takes time for the body to settle down, it’s normal for PSA tests to be taken at the date you mentioned.

what was his PSA ? I’am simuler in condition my PSA was 893 disappeared to 0.04 gone back up now, so he just needs to take it easy maybe a little excersize, as long as there’s no complications he should be ok for his PSA in two months.

Joe

Thanks for this Reg.

I agree the hormone treatment is a necessary treatment. Hopefully after his last treatment tomorrow we can concentrate on my husband feeling better. I think at the moment he is exhausted as hot flushes and then cold flushes and constant toilet trips mean he is not sleeping. 

Hopefully the bowel will heal over next month or so.

I don’t think either of us realised how mentally exhausting it is battling cancer. I am so grateful to you and everyone else in this forum. It’s great being able to identify how others in the same boat deal with things.

Keep fighting and stay healthy x

Thanks Stuart.

Enjoy the caravan. I can’t wait as you can spend time in a change of scenery, planning how you spend your day depending on how you feel that day.

By August my husband will hopefully be feeling better.

Thanks

Joe

PSA went from 19 to 30 over 18 months awaiting diagnosis after 2 MRI scans and 2 biopsies.

He has been on Decapeptyl hormone injection from last November and he finishes radiotherapy tomorrow.

Hopefully his bowel will settle down and we will focus on controlling hot and cold flushes and fatigue. At least now shielding people are allowed to walk outside. I think the fact he has been confined to home for 12 weeks has been hard.

Thank you for your discussion.