← Return to Prostatectomy or Radiation? Lot of stress over which to choose

Discussion
Comment receiving replies
Profile picture for paulsheldonfoote @paulsheldonfoote

Prostatectomy is not an option. I finish this week with radiation therapy. My preference would have been proton beam. However, the closest proton beam for me is in Loma Linda and in San Diego, California. I suggest that you read books by Dr. Mark Stohs:
Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers
The Key to Prostate Cancer

His Prostate Cancer Research Institute (PCRI) has a free Helpline and Support Groups. He continues to post videos at YouTube.

While going to radiation therapy, I have met radiation patients who have had a prostatectomy. One patient had the prostatectomy in June 2025. The surgeon’s explanation was that the prostate must have spilled some prostate cancer cells during surgery. This patient must now do 38 days (fractions) of radiation therapy.

A second patient had a worse experience with prostatectomy. The cancer metastasized up to his cheeks. He is facing 38 days of radiation therapy plus Orgovyx. If the cancer in the cheeks does not disappear because of ADT, then he will need an additional 24 days of radiotherapy.

Simply search for the probability of cancer returning following prostatectomy. You will discover that the probabilities are at least 20% to 40%, depending on your Gleason score.

Jump to this post


Replies to "Prostatectomy is not an option. I finish this week with radiation therapy. My preference would have..."

@paulsheldonfoote
Pretty sure you are talking about Mark Scholz

During the PCRI conference a couple of years ago this was said

Seeds for metastasis were already there when surgery was done, waiting to grow.

@paulsheldonfoote While I do agree that a significant percentage of surgeries ‘fail’, some pathologies such as cribriform or IDC are not completely eradicated by radiation. Nor are those cells which give a high Decipher score.
If you are in the lucky category of complete glandular containment and have none of the contributing aggressive pathologies, SBRT is definitely the way to go.
But some of us view surgery as merely the first stop on a long train ride with no idea how many stations we’ll have to pass!
Phil

@paulsheldonfoote
Dr. Mark C. Scholz