Photon Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT)

I had 44 photon treatments. Went well. Had scar tissue after words requiring several sigmoidoscopy to spray coat area.
I did these in Peoria Illinois. I could have gone to Mayo for proton. I chose Peoria because I did not have travel and stay over night. The best part was I got to get naked with four young girls every day. The bad part was I was the only one naked.

Thanks for the reply. Did you have SpaceOAR placement prior to treatment?

Too funny Ken, great sense of humor!

I do not know what SpaceOAR is. I had two years of Lupron injections. I am trying to get my libido back. My private area shrank with each of these treatments.

SpaceOar is a substance that is injected between the bowel and the prostate to protect the bowel from radiation. It is left there after treatments and will dissolve on it's own. Absolutely painless, you will feel a little fullness for about an hour or two and then normal. Highly recommended for the protection of the bowel wall.

Still looking for someone to comment who had the Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) using traditional photon beam radiaton who would be willing to tell me about their experience during and after treatment. Thanks.

Buckeye, Photon beam radiation therapy is another name for what is usually known as external beam radiation therapy. I believe @hodagwi @remoteman7 @jap57 @jimb1950 @norske46 @gmack have had external beam radiation.

You may also wish to see these related discussions:
- Questions about radiation, post radical prostate surgery https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/post-radical-prostate-surgery/

– Prostate cancer treatment: stereotactic body radiation therapy https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/prostate-cancer-treatment/

I have had 7 weeks (35 treatments) of radiation therapy in 2017, 5 weeks (25 treatments) of radiation therapy in 2019, 3 treatments of SBRT in 2020 and 3 treatments of SBRT earlier this year. My first treatments went well, no side effects. I was extremely tired after the 2nd set of treatments that lasted about 2 months after treatments ended. I had no noticeable side effects after the 2 sets of SBRT treatments. I have had my prostate removed and have been on ADT since my journey began in 2015. I am currently also taking Zytiga.

My initial treatment in February 2019 was bicalutamide and a month later started with lupron injections every six months. In July 2019 I started 44 doses of external beam radiation. I am happy to say I had no significant side effects from any of those medications.

We have not done surgery
Because PET scans, CT scans and bone scans confirm metastatic cancer in the bones, especially the spine.

By early 2020 my numbers started to rise and we moved from bicalutamide to enzalutamide. Once again the numbers dropped before starting to rise again. (In September 2021 my PSA was back up to 264.2.) More scans followed and in late 2021 we determined the time was right to begin Radium 223 treatment. I am now waiting for that treatment to begin.

In general any side effects are those to be expected from ADT. I had virtually no ill effects from radiation. My biggest concern is lack of strength in my legs and back. I have been bothered by pain from a bulging disc but no pain associated with the cancer.

WhaT is radium223