Making Plans to have my Nasty Nodes zapped at UCLA

As you know from my previous posts, I have two lymph nodes that are showing definite signs of Pca involvement.

Over the last two days I have been in contact with a very well respected and nationally known UCLA Radiation Oncologist. He feels that my two nodes can be successfully zapped utilizing SBRT without complex side effects due to their location. I have been researching SBRT and it certainly seems to be an advanced methodology of delivery. I mean come on. If the device is constantly monitoring the body through the use of CT scanning and can maintain target accuracy while accounting for the breathing of the patient, that is some pretty hi-tech stuff.

So I am waiting on a call back from UCLA to discuss, timing, insurance and so on. If everything works out I plan to go as early as next week.

This morning I talked with my MDA RO and he said that his personal knowledge of the UCLA RO makes him think I am really good hands for the procedure.

Here is my bottom line and thinking: Who knows how long these two nodes have been growing. They were first found in my CT scans of October 2012. At present they are about 21mm X 19 mm.

I have NEVER had a zero PSA following surgery or SRT. If I can zap these and see a decrease in my PSA and continue to scan and see little to no growth in other nodes or bones, I may be able to continue my current QoL for some number of years before I have to jump on the HT/Chemo train.

That is my ultimate goal - To keep my QoL and put off using drugs for as long as possible. We all know that my path and journey would fully indicate that I will never be cured of this crap. So I just want to enjoy the life I have for as long as I can.

In the interest of offering information to others that may find themselves in this scenario, I will post info as it occurs throughout the process.

Yep, Even Today is A Bonus Day for ME in My World

Sonny

Sonny, great and brave course of action. Dr.Myers was among the first ones to believe in "chasing" after cancer. His reasoning was that PC was slow growing and therefore perfect for treating oligometastatic disease. Other doctors believe there can be micromets, but scanning techniques are improving and just as you say, this may buy you a lot more time.

Hats off to Tall Allen.

Sonny - sounds like a great plan to me.
Can't say I've heard of that being done but makes a ton of sense.

Andrew

Sonny, best of luck with the radiation. I read an article some time back where a Dr Kwon (?) at Mayo did something similar with a patient after the C-11 choline scan revealed metastasis of the lymph nodes. Results were really good or at least the PSA reduction was quite good.

Don

Sonny,

Good for you and thanks for keeping us in the loop.

I know you don't want to deal with HT right now, but Myers recommends with my spot radiation a period of it before and after. With lymph nodes I don't know if that benefit holds true or not like it may with a bone met.

Did the F18 give you that info on the measurement of the nodes?

Jerry

Sonny,
You have my complete support! As a .50 cal gunner on a river patrol boat "ATTACK". All the best to you.
Bill

Sonny, I like your thinking and the way you take charge of your own life. I wish you the best.

Good for you, Sonny, I wish you all the best.
Henry

Sonny,

Just curious... have you considered getting all pelvic nodes zapped? Or were they removed during surgery and these nodes are higher up?

I'm only asking because I noted the size of the nodes they are looking at.

My better half had a needle biopsied "positive" 0.7 cm right external iliac node, a 0.7 cm superior hemorrhoidal node, and 0.9 cm right common iliac node.

Quite a difference in size compared to yours, yet still positive. The superior hemorrhoidal node was not biopsied due to being too dangerous to do so. It also was not zapped for the same reason. It was morphed, so included as a positive node

Just some food for thought.

I do think you are on the right track.

Post Edited (MsWorryWart) : 11/15/2013 12:22:53 AM (GMT-7)

Sounds like you have a solid plan and your usual great positive attitude. Good luck and wishing the best for you.

Mike

MsWorryWart,

I think you are right to be suspicious of other lymph nodes in the area. I think that's why Sonny is having the C11 Acetate PET scan, and why I think it's worth his cost to pay for that. Nodes can be enlarged for lots of other reasons besides PC, so it is critical to find the ones that exhibit PC's unique metabolic profile. If Dr K's treatment plan is like my friend's, he will irradiate nodes for several inches around the ones that light up on the PET scan.

Sonny,

The other thing you can ask Dr. K about is fusing the PET scan image with an MRI rather than a CT -- it gives greater clarity, and may help avoid that nad/node mix-up. It may be what they are planning to do. Dr. Margolis is a top radiologist.

Did you talk to Dr K about neoadjuvant ADT and Leukine to augment the abscopal effect?

- Allen

Sonny-

As we spoke, there are other reasons to take a short course of ADT other than to be on it for the rest of your life. I'm sure Dr. K won't try to convince you to use ADT- we convinced him, rather than he convincing us. All I can do is tell you is that in my friend's case we wanted to give him his last best shot at a cure, so I brought up to Dr K the evidence that improving the immune reaction to radiation would be augmented by neoadjuvant ADT and an immune booster (Leukine). Dr. K agreed that it was worth a shot. Perhaps the treatment would be just as effective without it -- there isn't a lot of good quality evidence, mostly lab studies. We figured that for my friend there was no risk to neoadjuvant ADT (he had started iADT anyway, but was off it for the C11 Acetate PET scan) and the potential benefit was high. The Leukine was greater risk and cost.

- Allen

Sony - wishing you all the best - hugs, Bronson