Question for the group

I have only been dealing with PC for just 6 months. Age 69. Started with PSA 33 and with casodex and lupron it is now psa 0.6 . Testosterone level is below 20. Now the Radiaton Oncologist comes along with plan for External Beam Radiation. It is a T2BN (I believe) or 1/2 prostate and one node if that is T2BN. Gleason is 7. It was my understanding that with Radiation you only have to stay on androgen deprivation for one year. Then you can stop it. That would be the only reason I see as advantage to radiation.

The doctor 's note from MDAnderson read"...Radiation in conjuction with long-term androgen deprivation therapy to reduce the probability of local regional progression of disease and prevent or delay distant metastatic disease." What? Is he being verily cautious or did I misunderstand? Does not sound like a real good reason to do it to me. Just getting to the facility is hard with no place to stay but a shared guest house. Is the cure worse than the disease? Right now feel fine with no physical systems.Opinions are appreciated as to do or not do and why. Thanks 

 

one upside, the radiation plan can probably be done locally, ask and see, before doing anything.

Choices come down to some form of Hormone Therapy (for as long as it is effective) with or without radiation therapy. You will find many different combinations of approach in terms of specifics, particularly among physicians. Not to mention on this Board. The more I learn, the more I realize there is no
one right approach. Best wishes.

NewspaperLover

Deros, when I went to MDA Houston, the MO tried to get me to do a Zytiga trial, along with HT. All of the Dr.s concurred that I needed to throw everything at the cancer at once for my own good. Scared the crap out of me. I decided against the trial, and when I told the MO I would do everything except Zytiga, his position changed. He said no reason to do HT then. WTH? To this day I am still dismayed and a little angry. Edit: I decided open RP only. I hope MSWW will chime in here also.

If you decide to do the RT at MDA Houston, you have another option that may be cheaper for staying quarters. Look in to renting an RV and staying at S Main RV park. Most of the RV'rs there are MDA patients and are very friendly. Also they have shuttles to and from the park that are very convenient.

Frankly, if I were you, I would get a second opinion from a local RO to help you decide on what to do. I think you need to find out what the protocol is if your situation has become systemic.

Deros 1969 (Friendly fire 2) this is friendly fire 1--I've been worried about you. It sounds like you are understandably angry, depressed, and confused; I also realize that you have other medical issues...It doesn't make sense to die of a heart attack in a guest house miles away from your home and friends..I'm older (age 70) and could have gone to Mayo in Rochester, Mn but decided to walk every day to Gunderson/Lutheran in Lacrosse for my 20 minute therapy since I liked my Dr--Collin Driscoll...My 44 treatments lasted 9 weeks not including planting markers and casodex/lupron therapy to shrink the prostate..Yes, I'm about 2 years through Lupron (ADT) therapy and I'm scheduled for 3 years.
DEROS--I think that James T might have the right idea--get the radiation treatment close to home and with your lymph node involvement you need 3 years of adt as Southern Comfort pointed out...Don't do nothing!!! Remember, you are a Vietnam Staff Sergeant! This is your captain speaking--LOL
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Age-now 70..dx Sept 2010--Psa 4.86 was 4.89 in Feb 09--Dr didn't tell me and no dre
left lobe--g4+4=8 in 5 out of 5 cores--pni and ece w/50% involvement w/20% tissue and focal areas of 5
right lobe--g4+3=7 in 4 out of 5 cores w/80% involvement and 50% tissue..bone and ct scans negative.
44 radiation treatments--79.2 g's completed 15 feb 2011--had casodex to prevent flare-ups and then lupron..scheduled for 3 years per nccn guidelines...
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kimchi & nucmam--Hopefully I'll be on this forum a long time! If
DEROS gets hisw act together he may outlive me..

I want to thank DOW for the "dose" I must have received in Nam too. When I was there at the tender age of 18, the worse thing I was worried about was getting a dose of the "clap". Little did I know that decades later, there was something much more sinister to worry about.

my best to you

david