I finished Proton January, 2016. I had blood in my stool about a year later that lasted for a few months and then it stopped. It was minor bleeding. My RO had included a letter in my post therapy...
After several searches trying to find if mpMRI actually uses a different machine than standard MRI, I found this: "High-quality mpMRI scans rely on MRI scanners being configured in a specific way". I...
I had a very difficult time scheduling a mpMRI at Duke. My urologist ordered the mpMRI and I called after a week or so to see if it had been scheduled. The scheduler confirmed I was scheduled for a...
I'm trying to find top hospitals that have an experienced RO in salvage treatments for radio-recurrent PCa. I'm close to Duke Cancer Center and they have a RO there who does salvage Brachytherapy but...
Casey59, You're right about overthinking it. I know that about myself but it's hard not to when you've been doing it your whole life. Honestly I don't know what to enter in the MSK calculator. My RO...
JNF, to clarify, I have never taken any hormone therapy. I did not bring up the SBRT until he reviewed all of the options for salvage treatment. He did not mention SBRT so that's when I brought it...
JNF, I did bring up SBRT and he said I couldn't have salvage radiation since I had primary radiation. I answered that by saying that I've read several studies of SBRT for radiorecurrent patients,...
Mattam, he is at Duke and very well educated and published. I've read several of his papers. He attended Duke, UVA, Johns Hopkins and Univ of Penn....
JNF, this is part of the MO's bio: My goals are to develop and provide treatments that prolong and improve quality of the lives of patients with aggressive prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular...
I had my first visit with my new MO yesterday. He asked why I had made an appointment to see a medical oncologist. I explained that I made the appointment because I have radiorecurrent PCa confirmed...
I found an interesting study involving 200 men with localized PCa who were enrolled in a 6 month study. Half took a capsule containing Pomegranate, Green tea, Turmeric, Broccoli; the other half a...
I had my left knee replaced 2 years ago so I know what follows. My recovery was typical for a 76 YO man who is in pretty good shape. I had been walking every day for many years and like Todd I had...
Mumbo, having thoughts about next steps, treatments, timeline, etc. Probably not good for me to be doing that now, not having seen my new MO yet. I see him March 5. I'm pretty sure I will be having...
Halbert, thanks for your thoughts. You may missed another post on my recent PSMA. The finding was local recurrence only. It provided no PI-RADS or SUV max scores so no indication as to severity or...
Casey, I appreciate your thoughts. I met with my urologist last evening. I was his last patient and we talked for over an hour. His view is very similar to yours. He thinks I'm overreacting at this...
Mumbo, take a look at my revised post in which I estimate a Jan 23 PSA based on the previous years' steady increases. If that were the actual case would you feel differently about the MSK doubling...
I need knee replacement and will mostly be scheduled for sometime in April. If I have to start ADT around that time will that impact the procedure? I have been walking for more than 40 years daily...
Lets estimate that the nadir doubled to 1.50 in Jan 2023. Then run the MSK calculator with the following numbers: 01/01/22 1.19; 01/01/23 1.50; 01/01/24 3.28. That shows 16.4 months doubling time. If...
My PSA on Jan 26 was 3.28 My urologist put me on antibiotic for 30 days and I retested yesterday at 3.66. I'm using the MSK PSADT calculator and doubling time varies depending on length of history I...
I think I asked the question too quickly. After some reading it appears that radiation induced changes to the prostate can make accurate future biopsies difficult to grade. This will be discussed...
Djin, why do you think a gleason following a biopsy might not be possible?...
I'm surprised the report didnt provide PI-RADS and SUV max. It may be available but not in the patient portal. Maybe my urologist or my RO can see it. Otherwise I have my 1st meeting with Duke MO on...
Here is the summary impression: IMPRESSION: * Prostate: PSMA (+) disease in the anterior mid- zone and apex of the prostate, consistent with primary malignancy. * Nodes: No tracer- avid pelvic,...
If I don't hear from doctor this afternoon I will open and read myself. The 5 point RADS system seems simple enough. The SUV score is a little more difficult to understand. I know it corresponds to a...
I finally got the PSMA report today on my portal but cant bring myself to look at it. It was faxed to my doctor this afternoon but he is out of town until Monday. He was texted that the report is in...
I wonder if mpMRI and fusion biopsy is a likely follow up to a positive finding on PSMA. It seems to me that is the only way to confirm cancer and to grade it so appropriate treatment can begin....
Well I had the PSMA Pet/CT yesterday at Duke. It was as expected after gathering information from you and reading and watching videos. It took about 2 hours in total. The actual scan was about 20...
Are the ratings I need to be concerned with on the PSMA results are the SUV and RAD's? On SUV 15 as “very intense”. RAD's over 1 not so good....
I haven't taken any for a long time but I see it in my future. I will take one or two before my PSMA on Wednesday and depending on the results I may take it as needed for a while. I don't have an...
JPS, you've had a lot thrown at you and we all know from experience how stressful it can be. I struggled for a long time until my primary care doc suggested low dose Xanax for the times when I was...
Mumbo, thanks for the link to Duke. Excerpt: "Duke Health was one of the first centers in the U.S. to offer prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) PET/CT imaging following FDA approval of a new...
Djin, since you're familiar with Duke, do you think the PSMA scan I'll have will be PSMA-PET/CT even though the tech in the scheduling dept there said it's not CT?...
I'm having PSMA next week and am confused a little about the equipment used. In all my reading about the test, a CT or MRI is used in conjunction with the PSMA Pet, When I looked at my upcoming test...
I did not take ADT before or after. My urologist has requested my PSMA scan to be expedited at Duke. I have chosen Dr Andrew Armstrong as my MO at Duke. I will be meeting with him on March 5....
I spoke with my RO who thinks I should retest PSA after course of antibiotics. If the PSA is still elevated then proceed to PSMA scan. We discussed where to have the scan and decided Duke Cancer...
Thanks Prat and Terry for your responses. Terry, yes Dr Epstein graded me at 3+3. UFPTI thought it was 3+4. So who knows. Plus they're looking at a small sample. Who knew what else was lurking in my...
I saw my urologist today. He was surprised that my PSA had increased so much. He's been saying for 4 years that some incremental increases are normal and we debate this every visit. It's entirely my...
I had my PSA checked today and confirmed what I've believed for the past several years: that I still have cancer. My urologist sure didnt think so. It'll be interesting to see what he has to say...
Just wondering if those of you who had radiation therapy as your primary treatment still have a DRE. Some articles suggest that it's generally not done anymore....
I agree with your interpretation. That's better than finding cancer 50% of the time with PSA that low. I see that you had your surgery at Duke. I had my mpMRI there followed by a MRI guided biopsy...
I wonder if I understood the article. When it says it can detect recurrence in up to 80% in patients below the Phoenix threshold with PSA between 1.0 and 2.0, falling to 60% for men <0.5 does that...
That's depressing. 60% with PSA <0.5. I thought <0.5 was the nadir all primary radiation guys hoped for....
A post a few months ago described a situation in which someone had SBRT and then 15 and 17 months after treatment had 2 bounces which are common 1-2 years after radiation treatment, At 18 months he...
Terry, when were your last 4 PSA's taken?...
It’s been 3 months since my last PSA and normally I wouldn’t be thinking about this until a month or so before the next scheduled test in February, 2023. But for some reason it has been on my mind...
I'm confused. You cant be diagnosed with recurrent PCa simply because your PSA went from .4 to 1.90 and a week later to 2.1. The 2.1 doesnt even meet the definition of BF since it's not 2.0 over your...
You're right. I was frustrated in the Uro's office when I said I may not have another PSA or wait 2 years. He knows me well and knows that I couldnt stick my head in the sand. I have to know what it...
I met with my urologist today. He said the PSA increase was small and nothing to be concerned about. He said he thought I was doing very well and after 7 years post-treatment with a PSA of 1.2 I...
After 7 years post-proton treatment, my PSA continues to increase incrementally. I really had hope that this year I'd return to my nadir reached in 2017, or at least drop a little. In the prior past...
I'll join Skeeter as a member who had Proton Therapy. Six years ago I had choices just like most and after careful consideration I decided to go with Proton at UFPTI. I do believe surgery and several...