← Return to Proton Therapy: any long term side effects? Any regrets?

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@edpenney

Curious. What was your Gleason score. Will have SBRT in October but on the fence with ADT. I am 4+3, PSA 5.0, contained in prostate yet 6/12 cores 4+3, 3/12 cores 3+4. Mayo and others are suggesting 4 mos. ADT yet with new research that is being debated.

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Replies to "Curious. What was your Gleason score. Will have SBRT in October but on the fence with..."

4+3.
PSA 17.5, contained within prostate (no PSMA scan however). 4 out of 12 cores positive, 3/12 @3+4 and a single core @4+3. Cancer involvement in those cores ranged from 5% to less than 20%.
Our results are similar but also different. My PSA slowly rose over 6 years from 5.75 tp 17.5. Yours is low but that is not necessarily a positive when you have so many cores @4+3.

I was willing to do a short course of ADT if recommended but to my surprise, the doc said it wasn't necessary as studies didn't support it. I didn't debate him on it.
You have 9 out if 12 cores positive so I guess that is why you are being recommended ADT. Not an easy call to make.

Some seem to tolerate it well, others struggle. 4 months is not a long time but you need the right mindset particularly with exercise. If it were me, I would likely do it.