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← Return to Salvage surgery or salvage radiation?
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Salvage surgery or salvage radiation?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Mar 16 7:55am | Replies (44)Comment receiving replies
@jeffmarc Thank you for your inputs. I've contacted my health insurance. They are not going to approve this surgery unless my husband also sees the radiation oncologist. The issues they mentioned are
1. evidence-base in US which the outcomes of FSR favors the radiation more than the lymph node dissection. Another patient passed along this information to me as well.
2. cost: they gave us very high quote(30k euros) that I have to get it pre-approved from the insurance. They want it up front.
3. Our health insurance paid for the second opinions via telehealth after my husband's surgery in 2021. Another professor doctor/chief urologist at another university hospital reviewed his file and gave his opinions: adjuvant or salvage radiation in the future recurrence. I think this & the high cost play the big role on the insurance company's decision. They didn't say they're not going to approve the surgery, but they want him to see the radiation oncologist first. It's crazy.
Replies to "@jeffmarc Thank you for your inputs. I've contacted my health insurance. They are not going to..."
@prettypass2000
I have nothing constructive to add, but as a wife I just want to welcome you here and tell you that I understand your anguish and all worry and work that is involved in coordination of care. I am wishing your husband very successful next treatment, whatever it might be < 3
Thanks also for sharing information about this novel approach - it is almost unheard of here in the USA : (((.
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@prettypass2000 I’ve been following your discussion with @jeffmarc and he’s really said it all in reference to your husband’s recurrence.
I would just add that surgery to remove a visibly affected lymph node is no guarantee that there aren’t invisible micrometastases present. The surgery ‘could’ be useless if that is the case.
However, targeted high dose radiation to the single node (SBRT) can be given in conjunction with multiple lower doses (IMRT) to the entire prostate bed and ALL the other nodes; this would get everything.
Also, you might want to discuss the addition of at least 6 months ADT - Orgovyx if you can be approved for it. Best,
Phil