After radiotherapy - what next?

Hi Parkrunner 

I must say it was a strange feeling after Radiotherapy finished in 2017.

Unfortunately nothing happens now unless the PSA starts rising again, I have never seen anyone since although in theory that means all ok.

What was your PSA just before Radiotherapy started?also any other stats like Gleeson, presume cancer contained in gland.

As long as the first one after Radiotherapy is Def lower and it doesn't start rising on future PSA results then all ok.

Any questions please ask

Best wishes 

Steve 

Hello Parkrunner 

It's a strange feeling - meeting people every day for a month and then - nothing. If you read my journey notes I said "I feel like a burden has been lifted".

So the theory - if you have been on Hormone Therapy first this puts the cancer to sleep and stops and growth. The 20 fractions of radiotherapy kills all the cancer cells (and some healthy ones too). The Radiotherapy keeps working long after your 20 fractions are over and you should reach your lowest PSA or nadir 18 months after radiotherapy has been completed.

You will be on regular PSA tests for up to 5 years and the yardstick for further treatment is 3 consecutive rises in your PSA or a rise of +2. (You can get PSA bounce after radiotherapy where you do get a slight rise).

I hope this helps - happy to answer any questions.

Best wishes - Brian.

Hi Parkrunner , well done for getting through the RT and you are on a curative path. Does cancer ever go away? Yes it can, but I think having had an experience like this maybe it is always in the back of your mind, (I don’t know as my cancer can’t be cured).  My point is, that before you were diagnosed, you were living happily with cancer without knowing it.  Now it is cured, you are worried.  Strange how our minds work.

Unless any tests come back in the future indicating a problem, try and assume you are clear and push negative thoughts to the back of your mind and just return to normal life.  Worry sadly doesn’t help (in fact it hinders).

Hi, know how you feel! I finished my RT in October, but did ask for my PSA reading and was given it… down from 9.1 to 0.6. My first review is the beg of May so little anxiety to see if any movement. Oncologist like yours was similarly confident the RT and hormone will have done their work. 

Hi Parkrunner

I finished my RT 14 months after 20 sessions. I then had to wait 6 months for a PSA test which was 0.2. After that I had a telephone call with my oncologist who told me that my cancer was in remission. I believe that you are not deemed to be cured until after 5 years of PSA tests that show no increase in readings. Hope this helps.

Best wishes 

Sezlez 

Following my final session in September, my Oncologist stated that we continue to the completion of two years of Abiraterone and injections, then let's see what happens. 

Not a lot more to do other than live! Easier said than done.

It is also very strange to all of a sudden not being involved in a load of activity in relation to your treatment. It took a bit of getting my head around.

It's a very strange feeling when you finish radiotherapy. You've been on a roller coaster of months of diagnosis, and weeks of a treatment where people have been working on you every day, and it suddenly all stops.

Where's everyone gone? Have I been forgotten?

No, it's just that you've finished the main part of your treatment, and it takes a while to actually realise you've reached this point!

Your 3 month appointment is more about finding out if you have any side effects from the radiotherapy which need addressing. If you're on hormone therapy, it's far too soon to know if the treatment worked. You won't know that until about a year after you finish hormone therapy, and find out what your PSA level is when your Testosterone has returned to normal.

Parkrunner said:

I am now 10 days after my final prostate radiotherapy session (20 in total). I just can't help wondering if it has actually cured my cancer, as my consultant said it would.

Well, I am 7 years and 10 days after finishing my 20 sessions of RT and I still wonder occasionally if I'm cured or not. I'm on annual PSA tests now and the last three have been 0.2, 0.2 & 0.3. My Urology team say it's fine so I guess it's OK and we just have to get on with life. I'll be 79 this year and still walk 5 miles most days and go rowing as often as the weather allows. I have attached a photo of me "Ringing the Bell" back in March 2019 and you'll see that I don't look very happy about it!

Hello Seamus (Seamus47 ) 

Brilliant post and here's to the next 7 years and 10 days of continuing low PSA tests.

Kind Regards - Brian.

Well done to you Seamus47

Take care

GedExe