@billkmed
Sounds like you have an experienced and excellent R/O.

When we have prostate cancer the bottom line is you do what is best for you. What is best for someone else does not mean best for you. When you research and have an experience R/O and you trust that medical provider that is your choice. You are correct it is your body your choice.

You did not mentioned Decipher test or PSMA. Were they done? They are very precise test to help you and your doctor know more accurately risks and status of your cancer.

I had 30 rounds of Proton Radiation with no hormone treatments. I was originally going to have hormone treatments but my Decipher came back low risk and hormone treatment recommendation was removed. I did go through a second opinion and got same diagnosis and treatment.

The decision to have hormone treatment is a personal one to make for yourself with consultation with your doctors. I was told by my Mayo R/O the increase in risks if I did not have hormone treatment was around 20% higher with an intermediate risk. That R/O said it is your decision. As I mentioned the hormone treatment recommendation was removed after Decipher test.

Hormone treatments don't kill (Mayo and UFHPTI R/Os) prostate cancer. What they do is rob the prostate cancer of testostorone which feeds the prostate cancer. Thus it retards the growth which allows the radiation or other treatments time to treat disease that is being kept at bay by the hormone treatments. If you have surgery it will help keep in from getting a tumor larger or help retard spreading until your surgery is done. Note I said help.

I am not familiar with Barrigel but you posted far superior than Space/Oar. I had Space/Oar to help move colon away from prostate. My Mayo PCP said studies are underway to see if having the Space/Oar provided significantly additional help with lessoning side affects of radiation or not significant enough to justify the procedure.

I was gald to do it as I wanted to do everything I could to lesson side affects of radiation. That is why I chose proton over photon. They both have the same successful outcomes of treatments. It was the possible benefit of lessoning of damage of radiation to surrounding organs and tissues is what I wanted.

Good luck on your journey.