SpaceOAR causing issues

Did you have the SpaceOar gel pack to protect the rectum?

If that's for @web265 , the answer is no, it wasn't recommended for me and I asked about it before we started.

I am still trying to figure out the "stray rays" issue, to quote edva1943, between Proton and MRI guided radiotherapy. I find very little on what happens to the radiation after it hits the Prostate. I understand with Proton, there is no real time MRI imaging so the margin area is larger but the radiation stops mostly at the Prostate but because of the margins I have heard side effects on the bowels may be greater even with spaceoar. If you have MRI guided radiotherapy, the margins are smaller because they see things better but the radiation I guess exits through the body affecting healthy tissue on the way out but the feedback I hear is the side effects are less. I cannot find any comparisons anywhere and I am not sure the doctors know enough yet.

Hi, I wonder why he didn't recommend it, maybe having had surgery makes a difference. My husband had surgery 8 yrs ago. I read that Doctors need to have specialized training to insert it. I'll see what the Rad One say's next visit. Hopefully, he'll agree or send us to someone who specializes in SpaceOar. Or maybe there's a good reason. Thanks, again.

It wasn't a training issue. The urologist, surgeon, and radiation oncologist are all in the same care provider company. If the space oar had been indicated the RO would have just had me go to the affiliated urologist who is the one who told me about it.

I've never confirmed it, but, I suspect that the dosage of radiation may be less for salvage treatment as opposed to primary treatment. I was using the Rapid Arc delivery system.

Sorry for the length bettwils16 regarding spaceoar. I called them and they spoke with me and sent me the following. Its all on the spaceoar.com website.

How the SpaceOAR Procedure is Performed VIDEO

The website which serves as a patient education center, There you will find articles covering several different topics such as understanding staging and treatment options, information on diet and nutrition as well as discussion guides.
SpaceOAR Hydrogel- How Does It Work
Educational Patient Video
Patient Education Resources and Articles

Advocacy Groups on our SpaceOAR.com site: SpaceOAR: Patient Advocacy & Support
ZEROCancer: Quality of Life
ZERO: Diet and Nutrition
zerocancer.org-Prostate Cancer Treatment and Side Effects
Cancer.gov/prostate Cancer treatments

On the web site are a couple of clinical studies:

Bowel dysfunction: Compared to the control group, 66% of patients were able to avoid clinically significant declines in bowel function
Urinary dysfunction: Compared to the control group, 66% of patients were able to avoid clinically significant declines in urinary function.
Sexual dysfunction: 67% of patients who received SpaceOAR hydrogel maintained baseline erectile function compared to 38% of men in the control group who did not receive SpaceOAR.
Studies:
SpaceOAR US Pivotal Study – 15 Month Results
Three Year Follow-up of SpaceOAR Hydrogel Pivotal Study Patients

Sexual Quality of Life Study After Radiation Treatment with SpaceOAR

Dale1k: Spaceoar gives you an extra 1/2 inch of space between the rectum and the prostate. As I understand it, even with the MRIdian, the general radiation policy is still to radiate as much of the prostate as possible so the extra 1/2 inch made sense to me. I was told it was because of possible micro cells. Even with the MRIdian, some RO’s use the Fiducials as well since it still helps but some do not. Sometimes you even have to ask for the Spaceoar.

I had spaceoar inserted a month or so ago without any complications. Their web site, https://www.spaceoar.com/, was helpful to me. Two RO’s from the 5 institutions I spoke with, Cornell Weill and the Miami Cancer Institute suggested it’s use right away. I had it done at the Orlando cancer institute and was put out for he procedure. Spaceoar also had a technician in the operating room. I was concerned about the risks but I believe the doctor and the Spaceoar technician helped me feel as if the risks were decreased. I had no side effects other than feeling slightly full for a week or so. That extra 1/2 inch of spacing can make a huge difference in side effects with radiation. I also researched and chose the radiation machine I felt most comfortable with.

I had it done last summer, after being on a low-fiber diet and a Fleet enema. It was done by a urologist with just local numbing. I had no noticeable side effects after about a week. It dissolves in six months. This was at Georgetown. I have no reason to question the procedure.

Did you do proton therapy at Georgetown and if so how many days of treatments?