MRIdian Viewray Experience
Making a decision related to which radiation machine one uses seems to be something that does not get a lot of discussion by urologists and radiation oncologists in terms of the differences, other than their success with the machine they use. I chose the MRIdian Viewray. There are multiple choices with different capability and toxicity risks.
I had my first treatment, out of 5, on January 31. I had spaceoar gel inserted. The machine is both a radiation and MRI built into one unit. They can see healthy tissue and the cancer in real time and adjust accordingly using the machines dynamic mapping capability, if necessary. They used 2 mm margins based on a recent randomized trial called Mirage. The machine turns off automatically if your internals move and the radiation goes outside the mapped out area. No pain or real side effects after the first treatment. Second treatment is on Friday. My prostate cancer is contained within the prostate and I am almost 70 with Gleason 3+4 on one core and 3+3 on another. Psa was 10.2.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
How is your brother doing?
He is doing pretty good. He had quite a bit of pain that lingered for several weeks. His biggest complaint was the urgency/need to go to the bathroom round the clock. He said it was literally every twenty minutes.
His treatment ended on February 23rd. He is now 6 1/2 weeks out. He is off all the pain meds and the urgency has subsided immensely. Not completely but getting better. His urologist said all his symptoms are within "normal" range. He will see him again in a month, including a blood test for both PSA and testosterone, for "markers."
My brother is also on a 4 month hormone treatment (Orgovyx). His doctors in Virginia really thought this would help achieve optimal results. The Orgovyx has caused him some issues. Foggy brain, tiredness, hot flashes and feeling emotional. He is taking the pills versus the injection. This way if it gets to be too much he can stop taking them.
So fingers crossed that all continues to just keep getting better. By the way, my brother is 70 years old.
Thanks for asking.
msciulli,
Today will be my 2nd SBRT treatment with Dr. Kishan at UCLA. Can you share information about ADT treatment and who is managing it?
Thank you
ADT was collaboration between Urologist, MO and Kishan. Duration was originally 24 months (per MO), but through shared decision making and lots of research, ended up being 18 months (Orgovyx and Nubeqa).
msciulli,
Is there a high copay for ORGOVYX for you? what are the side effects from ADT, if you don't mind sharing the information, as I will be going through the same protocol, most likely?
Hello-
After thorough reseach and meetings, I have selected the sbrt mri guided 5 treatment regimen. I am 70, fit and active, have a 3 + 4, 7.6 psa, genome oncocyte score which the Drs all uniformly urged me to choose a treatment- surgery or radiation.
I would greatly appreciate if you could share some of the experience.
Have you been satisfied with the results?
Would you choose the same treatment?
How were you feeling during the treatments?
How have you been subsequent to the treatement?
Have you achieved the desired results thus far?
Any side effects- both in the following treatment, and now?
Wishing you all the best.
Thank you.
Hello-
I have selected the sbrt mri guided for my treatement. I too, found that very few Drs suggest radiation, and very few suggested the mri guided sbrt - most likely due to lack of experience and length of results data.
I would greatly appreciate if you could share some of the experience.
Have you been satisfied with the results?
Would you choose the same treatment?
How were you feeling during the treatments?
How have you been subsequent to the treatement?
Have you achieved the desired results thus far?
Any side effects- both in the following treatment, and now?
Wishing you all the best.
Thank you.
Great choice. You might look at ADT. The treatments are easy painless quick. One month out, too early to tell. No side effects yet.
Another problem with recommending MRI guided is lack of machines. If you haven't seen Kishan's video you might look. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/view-ray-inc_dr-kishan-on-the-mirage-trial-of-mri-guided-activity-7026267727543631872-_Vj4
Are you scheduled on a Viewray?
Best wishes
stevpr8: If you want to talk on the phone, private message me again but here are my psa results without ADT using the Mridian. 5 treatments completed on 2/15/23.
10/5/2022 3/31/2023 5/25/2023 9/12/2023 1/9/2024 4/11/2024
10.29 4.61 2.99 1.4 1.5 0.94
Yes, scheduled on Viewray.