Newbe

Hello BubbleGTT 

A warm welcome to the Macmillan Online Prostate Community - it's great that you have taken the plunge and joined us - all lurking are very welcome - although I am so sorry to find you here. As you are no doubt aware I am Brian one of the Community Champions here at Macmillan.

With those results it would look like you can take any route and be on a  "Curative Pathway" so I wish you well once you have confirmed your choice. Feel free to join in any conversations and ask any questions, as you know we are a decent bunch!! No question is too small and nothing is too trivial.

If you need any help with questions to ask at your meetings - here's a link - Questions for your Team and do take someone with you as 4 ears are better than 2. Remember Brachytherapy is available but not offered in every area although you are entitled to it as your treatment of choice.

I hope the above helps.

Best wishes - Brian.

Thank you Brian for your warm welcome. My wife comes with me to the hospital appointments and she recons that she has a better memory than me for all the details! 

Our first meeting at the hospital was a bit overwhelming, with so much discussed and so many printed articles to go home and read. I have a much better understanding of the different options now for treatment and as I said, reading posts and comments on here has helped enormously.

Best regards 

Geoff.

Hi BubbleGTT - you sound like an excellent candidate for brachytherapy. If your local hospital doesn’t do it, you can ask for a referral to an NHS hospital that does.  You’ve probably already read my bio if you have been lurking.  Bear in mind I was T3a with Cribriform so more aggressive than yours.  Your consultant may even recommend brachytherapy with no HT - but that depends on the specific cell structures within your 3-4, size of prostate, size of lesions etc.  if you have to have HT to shrink and weaken the cancer, it may only be 6 months.  So you appear to be in a good fighting position.   AW

Hi Alpine Wanderer, I read through your whole story and it gave me strength to fight this, with hopefully Brackytherapy. I come under Broomfield hospital in Chelmsford. They don't offer Brackytherapy, but will refer me to Southend Hospital that does. Hopefully it can be done without HT, but I will take it if needed.

Thanks Geoff 

That’s the spirit Geoff!  I would listen carefully to your consultant oncologist to make your final decision.  In the meantime, take a look at what Dr Mark Sholtz has to say on the PCRI website.  (Google it).  It’s American, but has a lot of impartial information on brachytherapy.    AW

Hi, I had last Friday brachytherapy without any other treatment.  I was Gleason 3 + 4

That's great news and I hope that the treatment is successful and you have no further problems.