A what if question, looking for serious input.

I really appreciate this thread. I was diagnosed with having failed salvage radiation last January. my psa levels have risen only every 6 months and so far only. .04 each time. I'm taking supplements that I won't mention here, they get plenty of air time here already. My uro has one other pca patient with the same pattern and we're both taking hte same supplements. I'll post my data from the beginning of my initial dx when I dig out the file with the pathology report.

My brother, age 72, had Gleason 7 that spread to one lymph node. Treatment was RT and followed with HT which he is still on for close to a year now. His PSA is undetectable at this time.

He runs his own business as an excavation contractor and I haven't seen any evidence of him slowing down after all this treatment. He says he feels good and other than the HT treatments he doesn't have any other medications.

Bob

Purgatory - I'll dig out my file with all the past psa scores, post RRP and post IGRT and for the last 3 quarters early next week.

A worthwhile discussion here. Even if for me it still feels like looking for a bridge to cross, but my query about chemical versus physical castration relates to the reversability.

If your testicles are switched off chemically and you start to get really bad SE (ie the quality of life issue takes centre stage) then presumably you can stop the drugs and reduce the side effects, though at the same time reducing the number of years you have left. An orchidectomy can't be reversed to reduce the side effects. 9it would strike me as being plain daft to try and reverse it by taking testosterone.
Or is there also any sort of half way stage of ADT where you can remove the production of the chemicals that make the cancer grow, but keeps the chemicals that stop the side effects?
Alf

English Alf - that's a good question you bring up, hope someone can proved an answer.

Understood, mjr, and thanks

Les, would be interested in what your doctors take would be.

John, thanks for reply. I can't say anything about the HT side effects first hand, obviously haven't been there. I am curious if fatigue from HT is different from fatigue that is radiation induced.

After my first time with RT, year 2000, 35 rounds totalling 70gy, was dx later with Chronic Radiation Fatigue. Medical oncologist at time said, that if I perm. regained 75% of my former energy, I would be lucky. That's about what it ended up, and I was 10 years younger too. That was despite being in Oncology Rehab for over 9 months.

Now, 13 months after my SRT has ended for PC, still dx with additional Chronic Radiation Fatigue, despite being in re-hab for nearly 2 months now, no improvement in energy levels.

Can only assume that radiation causes different levels of fatigue and damage to body, some guys it seems to be temp condition, and to others, like me, its a perm thing. Any comment?