HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Met with Oncologist on salvage radiation

Support Forums
>
Prostate Cancer
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 12/24/2009 12:08 AM (GMT 0)
 

Well my wife and I met with the radiation oncologist yesterday and went through all our questions and have to say he spent over an hour with us just answerning questions.  Thanks to your help in providing some of the questions.  He feels my only shot for a possible cure is radiation he also suggested hormone treatment starting 8 weeks before and continuing though the radiation my wife asked then how do you know if the radiation worked if the hormones are bringing down the PSA.  He said that is a very good question quess we would have to stop the hormones and see what happens.  Not to pleased with this answner and told him I prefer to do the radiation alone and if it does not work then do the hormones.  He said that it will be discussed at the council meeting on Jan 8th that will involve the other doctors in this field and all treatment opions will be disussed. 

I have an appointment on Dec 29 th for the cat scans and whatever else they do to get you ready for radiation and then depending on the results of the Jan 8th meeting I will probably start in Mid January.  He said 7 weeks 35 treatments.  Appartenly they have had some success with Gleason 8's that have negative margins.  All I can do is hope.

I wish you all a happy and very healty New Year and will keep in touch.

David good luck with your PSA results.

Jerry 1   

Posted 12/24/2009 12:15 AM (GMT 0)
Jerry, thanks for the update on your situation, and on asking about me.

Your rad dr's answer to that last question about the hormone treatment and the radiation is exactly why I turned down a certain dr. He kept pushing the HT portion, and when I grilled him about it, he admitted to me that he wasn't sure I needed it and he wasn't sure it would help me. So in my mind, he gave me two reasons not to do that.

My rad. oncologist that I went with, and my former one from 10 years ago, would have agreed with what your wife said. they didn't want to mix the results of HT and RT at the same time. My dr. wants to see how the radiation works on its own. She told me to save the HT in case the salvage fails.

I did not get my PSA results today as expected, may now not get them till after Christmas. It's that lovely time of the year.

Please keep me posted, sounds to me like your head is in the right direction on the matter.

David in SC
Posted 12/24/2009 3:00 AM (GMT 0)
Jerry, Your wife had a great point and the answer was not helpful. Best of luck with the decision process and best wishes for the New Year.

Jeff T
Posted 12/24/2009 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Jerry,

The reason your doc is suggesting the ADT concurrent with the radiation is that research indicates a better and more durable response for those who do the ADT and radiation together. That is the regimen I am on and yes it is a bit frustrating not knowing who is doing the work on the PCa.... hormone or radiation. Here is how I look at it. It does not matter at this point which one is doing the most work as long as both are working. I should have one last Lupron shot in Janaury and then see where it goes from there. The side effects of the hormone are uncomfortable initially but you will adapt.

Best of luck to you.
Don
Posted 12/24/2009 3:13 AM (GMT 0)
hi guys sorry about this new member dont fully understand terms .talking abuot ed does not an issue after op mean no problem or that it wont work barry
Posted 12/24/2009 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Jerry:

As Don indicated most studies show that HT plus radiation is the way to go.  Google the two and you'll find the studies.  I'm in the middle of both and doing fine.  Whatever you decide Good Luck!

David

Posted 12/24/2009 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Jerry, Take a look at the Sloan-Kettering prostate cancer nomogram for SRT. The nomogram suggests that for most men the use of neo-adjuvant HT almost doubles your chances of success. It certainly is something to talk to your doctor about.

Carlos
Posted 12/24/2009 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
And Jerry, I consulted with 3 diferent Radiation Oncologists before deciding to go with the salvage radiation, 2 of the 3 strongly disagreed about adding HT to the radiation, and the only one that suggested it is the one I talked about above. He even showed me a couple of studies he had printed out and admitted that they weren't conclusive.

You will have to do what you feel is right for you, and you will have to work with a radiation oncologist that you have a good level of trust and confidence with. That is very important.

Good luck as you continue to think through this important juncture in your journey.

David in SC
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply