Posted 5/4/2010 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Dear Ray:
I'm glad you have made a choice. I'm biased but I think it's a good one. You may have already read my "journey" with the link at the end of this post but a re-read might bring up some questions in your mind. Nevertheless, I just went back and found the "list" that I took to my radiation oncologist early on. Perhaps these will be useful to you:
1. How many of these procedures have you done? (Make sure it's over 300)
2. Do you recommend this for my situation? How do you compare this for my situation vs. surgery?
3. For my situation, do you recommend brachytherapy alone or with other radiation treatment?
.
4. Is there any need for hormone therapy?
5. Explain the procedure…pre op, op and post op.
6. The seeds:
a. Some of the literature suggests using MRI to insert the seeds. Is that your technique and, if not, why not?
b. How many seeds and what type?
c. Have you had any issues with seed migration?
d. Could you give us a general idea of how the seeds are plotted? How many in each section, etc?
e. What is the life of the seeds? Time release ? – please explain.
f. Do the seeds affect other organs?
g. Are your seeds "stranded"?
7. What is the timeline…pre op, op and post op?
8. If I decided this week, when would we start?
9. What are the side effects for your patients? Do you have percentages? How about side effects over time, i.e. quality of life 2-3+ years out?
10. Re the urinary side effects, how effective are the drugs to control them? Same for sexual? Bowel?
11. Will this cure the cancer?
.
12. What do you see as the advantages of this vs. surgery?
13. If I have this process and the cancer returns what happens? What are my options?
I hope this helps. Please keep us up to date on your progress.
Tudpock