SRT? No thanks...

I think you are on the right track Teddy9. With a 70% of a cure, I would do the same. Good luck with the treatments and let us know how you are.

Sorry to hear that you are in the position to have to make such a decision. Your post caught my eye 'cause I am in a similar situation. Had DaVinci in Aug 2005, age 57, 3+4, PSA 4.0. Procedure went very smooth and I was very happy initially with full continence and sexual function with a couple weeks. Dr Kawachi called me his poster boy for nerve sparing DaVinci procedure.

Initial PSA <.03 (lowest reading from that lab). At 5 years out psa started to rise slowly. My latest psa check hit 0.20. Now 10 years out, even my urologist is not certain that SRT is the right move in my case. I am otherwise healthy and living a great life with NO issues related to PCa. The potential side effects of radiation scare me. I know I am rolling the dice on the future but it is really difficult to risk screwing up my perfectly good health for a procedure that may well do more harm than good.

That being said I am not excited about the possibility of being on hormone therapy in the future either. So, I understand your dilemma and am interested in how you proceed. Please keep us posted and let's all hope for a better solution soon.

Thanks Jazzy, always good to hear from you. 50/50 on April...

Jmon-Your case is completely different than mine, but you are in exactly the same boat as far as trying to decide on further treatment. You were almost a G6 and if you were, it would be easier to just go on with life with your very slow rise. Did you get a second opinion on your Gleason? That may give you more peace of mind, but it could also make it worse... You may also want to consider the Decipher test for the same reasons. One thing is for sure in my case and that is I will go on HT at some point. But without the possible SE's of SRT. I will keep posting on my journey and watch yours as well. Maybe there will some miracle in our future.

Thanks Island Time, I am hoping for zeros in your future.

Startech:

I've stayed out of this thread, because we generally respect the choices that folks make. We understand that this disease if fraught with a multitude of options/probabilities and we all have to individually weigh the choices and their ramifications, such as SE.

I personally did do SRT to the prostate bed only, also viewing the 30% probability. I lost that bet. I also rejected IMRT to my one hot lymph node, due to a quoted "10% at best" probability.

So, I totally understand your decisions, based on the probabilities. But, one thing confuses me. You said:

>>>>>>>>>>>>
One thing is for sure in my case and that is I will go on HT at some point. But without the possible SE's of SRT.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You do realize that HT has many possible SE and you are just about guaranteed to have a few. As one on intermittant HT, I can assure you it is doable, but not a walk in the park. I would rate the SE of HT as much scarier/more probable than the SE of SRT. So, if you end up on HT, you are giving up the 30% chance of a cure and willing to take much worse SE.

I just don't understand this. I'm sure I'm missing something. So, I figured I'd ask.

Mel

Startech, I would echo Mel's cautions about the SE of HT. I was on HT for six months as part of SRT back on the winter of 2011-12. HT is more difficult for some men than others, but it can be difficult at times, hot flashes at all hours, weight gain, decreased mental acuity (though in my case maybe no one noticed), and maybe for me above all a lose of "self." Absolute loss of libido was life changing. You are undoubtedly right that SRT is unlikely to succeed, but HT is no bargain. It is just the best tool we have. Best wishes!

Newspaper Lover
Gleason 8
Surgery 2009
SRT + HT early 2012
PSA emerged again end of 2014. Currently .26.
HT with/without chemo a certainty when hits whole numbers.