Connect
← Return to Prostate cancer T3b
Discussion
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: 5 hours ago | Replies (32)
Comment receiving replies
Very excellent advice. I'll look into who will see me in. Melbourne our second largest city. I also plan to ask some advice from an old family doctor who is now retired.
Replies to "Very excellent advice. I'll look into who will see me in. Melbourne our second largest city...."
Connect
Wonderful country Australia! I used to travel there so many times a year, I felt more comfortable in Circular Quay than here at home in Palo Alto...albeit, I never had the good fortune to make it to Tasmania.
You found your way here, so you clearly know how to leverage internet resources. I'll add a few points to what you've already heard from our 'brotherhood',..eh mate.
- My cancer diagnosis was roughly similar to yours, noting they are all unique. I ended up doing a tri-modal: 4 months ADT/Orgovyx; 2x Cyberknife boost (UCSF); 24x IMRT (Stanford).
- There are a number of diagnostic tools that you want to take into account, some are widely used and others not, including, but not limited to: PSA test; MRI with Contrast; Biopsy (transperineal or transrectal); PSMA PET Scan; Decipher Grid etc.
- Once you have all this data you can get several second opinions. Stanford and UCSF are top rated institutions and Mayo is rated somewhat higher. I considered Mayo, but, the decision, for me, was also a function of which Dr. you can get and the Mayo Dr. I wanted had left to lead a new facility in the Middle East. The local guys I was referred to are also world famous and I have a high level of trust in them. You can research all the Australian Drs. and institutions to determine who you want to work with.
- Since you are already heading down the radiation path, there are a number of choices that you will encounter including: Photon vs. Proton; Cyberknife and other SBRT; IMRT, and the list goes on and on...
- Like you, I have a 'family friend' who is a retired urologist. His advice was crucial in evaluating options. ALL of the institutions stick to a protocol and will suggest mostly similar treatments plans. e.g. if you are going to Mayo, they'll offer proton radiation (they paid $150M for the technology and need to use it). My friend was able to speak to all the treatments and to the individual Drs, many of them he knew personally, completely off the record.
- In conclusion, I expect the right choice for you is a short trip from Hobart, but, only you can make that call. Best wishes, lots of things I miss from Australia, like a draught Red Back in Fremantle.