1. < Prostate Cancer

Brachytherapy? Anyone have thoughts?

Posted by stevenp @stevenp, Aug 9 12:50pm

Hi all. I have been on active surveillance for two years but psa is up to 6.49 so we did a second biopsy. Gleason 7 (3+4, 3+4, 3+3, 3+3). Just recieved Decipher score .29. I’m 65, still working and physically active. I know 2 men who did the low dose Brachytherapy with good success, but I don’t know what their numbers were. Any anecdotal experience with, or info about, that treatment path would be appreciated.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

paul28 | @paul28 | Sep 11 11:22pm
In reply to @groundhogy "Here is a good website to compare odds of cure for the major treatment paths. You..." + (show)
@groundhogy

Here is a good website to compare odds of cure for the major treatment paths. You have to determine your stage, low risk, intermediate, or high risk (risk of recurrence). So if you are intermediate, pull up the intermediate chart and you can see the odds of 10-20 yr survival, etc. based on the treatment you pick.
https://www.prostatecancerfree.org/compare-prostate-cancer-treatments/
It is best viewed on computer or just print it on paper. Not so viewable on phone.

To make the graphs easier to read, i drew a dot on the endpoints of the elipses, and then drew a line through the dots. This turns the elipses into lines.

Also be aware the the graphs don’t show any salvage radiation benefit. This would boost the surgery odds up a bit.

And, this is a very dysfunctional industry from my view. Loads of bad info mixed in with the good info. Same with the docs. Many of them are more dangerous than the cancer.

Jump to this post

Your last paragraph here should be required reading for anyone with cancer and spending endless hours of online research.
Anyone who has ever spoken with just one Oncologist, should also be required to see two more.
Or three.
PAUL

REPLY
1 reply
paul28 | @paul28 | Sep 11 11:37pm
In reply to @octopuss "... Of course there are the 25 external beam squirts, but that's a lot less than..." + (show)
@octopuss

... Of course there are the 25 external beam squirts, but that's a lot less than the 40 or 45 external beam treatments. If you think about it, you will realize that Brachy radiates the cancer cells 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so that when the cancer cells attempt to divide, the radiation is there to kill it when it is weakest. It's that simple! After the implantation, you will swear that they didn't do the procedure, it's that painless!!! My oncologist showed me the post procedure x-ray so I would believe he had done it! I was a Gleason 9 and pretty worried but now I know I got the most effective treatment there is. My cancer is no longer a part of my life. ( Do Your homework and check me out. Start with "prostatecancerfree.org" and contact me here for more info. )

Jump to this post

At Gleason 9, I assume you had the high dose Brachy ?
And you first had external beam, or no ?
Thank you!
PAUL

REPLY
groundhogy | @groundhogy | Sep 12 12:04am
In reply to @paul28 "Your last paragraph here should be required reading for anyone with cancer and spending endless hours..." + (show)
@paul28

Your last paragraph here should be required reading for anyone with cancer and spending endless hours of online research.
Anyone who has ever spoken with just one Oncologist, should also be required to see two more.
Or three.
PAUL

Jump to this post

Yes, people focus on the disease thinking that is the threat, and it is. But they have no idea that the system they are working in could also pose a threat. We were raised as children to believe doctors are always good.

REPLY
cstrutt52 | @cstrutt52 | Sep 13 1:03pm

I opted for high-dose brachytherapy. Two days of out-patient treatment a week apart. Although the procedure sounds pretty nasty, you are knocked out for it all. I had no pain ever with the procedure. I went home from the hospital (Mayo Rochester) driven by family members and took a long walk. My cancer likely started in my early 60's. My PSA was at 5.48 in 2017. A biopsy was recommended but then some health care dispute in my city caused a loss of nearly all urologists (many quit and others were fired, and leaving the city without urologists due to noncompete clauses). So, I did nothing. In Dec 2021 PSA at 7.8 sent me to an MRI, with 4 lesions at PI-RADS 5, 4, 3, 3. Did biopsy May 2022. Cancer found in 13 of 18 cores, two with PNI, most at 3+4. Surgery or radiation after talking to three doctors (my urologist, a surgeon, and a radiologist). Aug 2022 Decipher test at 0.42 (high end of low risk). I decided to wait and see. Dec 2022 PSA at 10.7. Second MRI Mar 2023 showed substantial growth of lesion pushing on capsule. Had two sessions of HDR brachy in April 2023 (16+17 needles) at Mayo Rochester at age 70. No issues. The procedure is not at all worth the worry. It is true that "Worrying is like paying a debt you don't owe." -- Mark Twain.

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.