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Newbee, High dose radiation

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Prostate Cancer
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Posted 1/8/2009 1:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi group, i'm new to the club.
I'm 59 and very healthy (with one exception!)
Don't have all the stats about my cancer, (hoping to get my records faxed to me today)
Iv'e been reading the posts, here is what i know for sure.

psa went from 3.2 to 4.9 in 18 months, and back down to 4.4 on the second test.
biopsy showed cancer in one out of 10 samples.

Doctor says all treatment options are available.
I haven't found any information on HDR on this forum. Anyone have any experience with it?
http://www.brachytherapy.com/prost-brachy.html

I am currently monitoring my cancer with quarterly psa tests, and trying dietary control. (open for dietary adice too). http://www.healingfoodreference.com/

My wife has a mitral valve issue will requireing repair soon. As you can see we have a lot of decisions to make. Hers is obviously more critical at the moment.

thanks for your support and sharing your experiences.
The information here is awesome and sometimes scary. Looks like everyone has different side effects and recovery times no matter what path is taken.

but in the end looks like the cancer gets removed in almost all cases.
Posted 1/8/2009 2:03 PM (GMT 0)
Hi brb0923...dang another brother joins the club unwillingly. Sorry you are here, but pull up a chair and sit a spell. I had surgery so I can't comment on the seeds, but from what you said about the biopsy, it is certainly a method to consider. There are prones and cons to each form of treatment, so research for what is best for you and your family. I am not familiar at all with your wifes condition, but it didn't sound very good...sounds like a surgery procedure...am I correct?

Lots of folks here will offer their take on dietary...and most will be of value. That is another area I don't know much about either...but my wife sure does and makes sure I am taking what she feels is best. Personally, I don't put a lot of faith into those sort of things...to me...eat healthy, stay active, get plenty of rest and exercise...that is the key to living a long life in my opinion.

Fill in your signiture when you have the stats so others can follow your journey.
Posted 1/8/2009 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
Hi brbop23,

While doing my research I came across a clinic in Georgia that does HDR. It is a procedure that implants the radioactive seeds and follows with IMRT. The firm is known as RCOG and claims to have a very high rate of success. If you google it you can read up on the treatment. http://www.prostate-cancer.com/index.html

By the way, here is a link to a spread sheet that summarizes the options for treatment. You can investigate each separately.

http://www.prostate-cancer.com/index.html

Good luck to you.
Don
Posted 1/8/2009 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks guys,
The links are great.



I have HDR available in Michigan through Michigan institute of urology. (anyone familiar with them?)

Would love to find someone who used the HDR method

Yeah wife is considering surgical options for her valve repair (open heart or robotic). We visit Cleveland clinic later this month. thanks for asking.

But really life is good, we just deal with it as it comes. Lovin each other through it!
Posted 1/8/2009 4:22 PM (GMT 0)

brb:  There are actually two types of HDR, the bracy that everyone seems to look into but also a type where rods are inserted into the prostate and left there for 24 hours or so and over that period of time HDR is given directly to the prostate in two or three short bursts lasting about 10 minutes each.  One of the head guys for Intel actually wrote an article about his experience with this treatment, he thought it was great.  I looked into it and actually went as far as having a Lupron shot to begin to shrink the tumor for the treatment.  I was then contacted by a surgeon and changed my mind and decided to have Robotic surgery.  The treatment is followed up by IMRT , just like the seeds implant is.

If you Google the name Andy Grove and prostate cancer you'll run across the article that he wrote.  It's worth a read and consideration.

David

Posted 1/8/2009 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
David gave you the heads up on various types. There are people you can see and talk to who been there and done that. www.yananow.net (see mentors listing-treatments etc.)

RCOG and Dattolia Centers (Georgia & Florida) have info availabe and would send you info, atleast to look at even if you don't choose them. There are many places that can do it, expertise is #1 on anything.

Best to you, I did radiation unique protocol, but not with seeds envolved. I would say I had no complications and no issues long term, 6 yrs.+ since it was done. Good luck on this, don't let possible horror stories sway you from looking closely into this, the horror stories exist on all protocols, seen that over 6 yrs. on internet etc.

Neutrondbob-zufus

Post Edited (zufus) : 1/8/2009 10:19:48 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 1/8/2009 7:03 PM (GMT 0)
You guys are the best!

this is awesome information,
thank you very much,
Barney
Posted 1/8/2009 8:10 PM (GMT 0)

Dear Brb:

Sorry you're here but this is a great place for information and compassion.  Since you are considering options and radiation in particular, I will bump up my original post, "Tudpock's Brachytherapy Journey".  Hopefully you will find that helpful not only for the process of making a choice but also to understand my experience so far with brachytherapy...which has been great.

This site has plenty of info from surgery patients as they seem to be most common here.  However, I encourage you to check out the other experiences as well including the brachytherapy journey of JustJulie and the posts of Selmer and others who are either waiting or have chosen non-surgical options.  That way you will gain some different perspective.

Good luck...take the time to study your options....choose an EXPERIENCED practitioner and then get well!

Tudpock

Posted 1/9/2009 1:03 AM (GMT 0)
Dear Brb, Just remember one thing as you go on your path: If you have surgery first, and the cancer returns, you can THEN have salvage radiation....If you have seeds and radiation, and the cancer returns, the salvage surgery will then be very difficult.... That is the route we took....very difficult..to say the least... Di.....
Posted 1/9/2009 1:16 AM (GMT 0)
dkob131 - I believe you meant to say that there are two kinds of brachy of which HDR is one.

brb0923 - 3 1/2 years ago I had 5 weeks of external beam and then HDR. I don't know if the procedure has changed much in this time, but I'd be glad to answer any questions you have, based on my experience.

-Les
Posted 1/9/2009 6:53 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again for all of your responses.
Thanks Les, yes i would like to know how the process went for you.
Consulting with a radiation oncologist about HDR 1/19/09. He was referred by the urologist. The urologist is also a surgeon but he hasn't yet tried to push me in any particular direction.
Posted 1/10/2009 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
The process took a day and a half with an overnight stay in the hospital. Spent the whole time on my back because of the 20 or 25 hollow needles in my perineum (inserted under general anesthesia). Three sessions of HDR. No pain or discomfort at all except for the removal of the needles, which was very painful, but only lasted a few seconds. Are you a man or a mouse?

Don't know if I'm typical, but, even with 5 weeks of external beam and the HDR brachy, not one drop of incontinence and no impotence. Forty to fifty pounds overweight, no exercise, no Kegels.

-Les
Posted 1/10/2009 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
welcome to the club my friend. I think you will find real quick how much knowledge, love, and support you will find here. Be sure to ask plenty of questions and jump into the conversations at anytime. I wish you the best in this journey you are about to embark on. If I can be of any help along the way please let me know.

peace and love
Dale
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